The White Witch
by WavesBlade
Summary: When Namine returned to Kairi she assumed she be whole. Instead, it was new prison, worse than Castle Oblivion, and DiZ, seeing a life she would never have. It was her lot in life, it didn't bother her that much (hurt so much), but what did bother her was she had lied to Roxas, stolen his life away for Sora. She wished she had the chance to have prevented suffering, not cause it...
1. Prison

Naminé's entire life existed from one prison to another, if not in a physical place, then bound to a person.

Castle Oblivion's soulless white walls. Hours spent wandering in utter isolation and silence before the Organization came...

Larxene and her sharp, merciless cutting knives and voice, hours of bleeding and healing to erase evidence...

Marluxia and the way he sent shivers of dread through her when he touched her shoulder, ran his hands down her arm, whispered in her ears, and (_no, no no no don't think about it_).

Axel and the casual way he killed his allies and would kill her if she acted in a way detrimental to his goals (_he would have killed her if he had any clue what she would one day do to Roxas and..._).

DiZ and Riku. A man more inhuman than Nobodies, filled with such hate it felt like she was burning up inside when he looked at her, like she should wither away and die as the worthless waste he said she was. And the boy... the boy who would damn himself and anyone else in order to save his friends. He never learned, and Naminé prayed Sora never found out just what part he had to play in Roxas's fate, because she knows Sora. She doesn't fear for Riku, she fears for Sora, realizing that Roxas had been forced into returning to Sora, had been lied to, forced to sacrifice himself to wake Sora up...

Because it had been a _lie_.

Because Naminé had returned to Kairi, only to discover it was another prison. An even worse cell. To watch as Kairi, Riku, and Sora slowly settled back into their normal lives after Xemnas had been defeated. To see the life she had never had, would never have, and had denied Roxas. If her consciousness had faded away, if she had truly become Kairi, it... it would have been okay (_not fair... it's never fair_). But it wasn't. So she looked for the one thing she had truly hoped for. She looked out of Kairi's eyes whenever she was near Sora, but she never saw anymore sign of Roxas. After they had willingly assimilated into their somebodies inside of Kingdom Hearts, and for a brief moment on the beach as the lingering essence of that artificial Kingdom Hearts faded away...

That had been it.

Just her in the worst prison she had been in yet.

Even worse because she had doomed Roxas to this fate to when she didn't have to. When if DiZ had just given her more time... another year or so, maybe... maybe she could have separated the memories she needed from Roxas for Sora to awake without killing him. Because it was murder. She had ended Roxas's life in exchange for waking Sora up. For doing the '_efficient thing_' as DiZ said, and dumping all of Roxas's power into Sora in order to combat the Organization. When in truth, Sora thrived off friendship, off of allies, if they had existed together, just the thought or Sora and Roxas fighting back to back, and Axel would have tagged along to if that was what Roxas had decided... things could have ended so differently for them...

Roxas...

"_I think I understand. I see myself the way you remember me. And you see yourself the way I remember you._"

He didn't know any better.

He was so young, had such a loose understanding of the worlds at large, yet had fought so hard to stay himself, even after being forced to join Sora, he had still come out one last time to fight him after Axel died, and then at the end... he had looked to her. She had put on a brave face, and led Roxas to his fate, taking her own jailer's outstretched hand and disappearing into her.

There was a thin line between acceptance and resignation.

Her entire life had been resignation...

It was the strangest thing, to want to cry, to want to choke up and sob, feeling like she was, without actually doing so. Because it hurt, not for her, never for her, she never mattered, she wasn't worth it, she only caused pain. She hurt for Roxas...

"Kairi? What's wrong?"

Naminé looked out of Kairi's bleary eyes, at Sora looking at her with deep concern as her somebody spoke, "I... I don't know. I just... I felt so sad for a moment..."

Naminé wanted to wail. Could she have nothing? She couldn't even feel grief for what she had done without inflicting it on Kairi?

Why did she still exist?

Why hadn't her consciousness and memories and existence join Kairi?

Why hadn't she faded away?

Why hadn't she just died?

Why why why why _**WHY**_?

There was a choking, gasping sound, and it took Naminé a moment in her self-loathing to realize Kairi was on her knees on the sandy beech, sobbing as Sora fluttered around anxiously. "Kairi?!"

Naminé forced herself to cut it away, bury it deep down as much as she could and pull away. It took Kairi a few minutes to collect herself before wiping her eyes and staring down at her hands, sifting them through the sand anxiously. "I... think that was... Naminé."

"Naminé?"

For a second, she thought she heard Roxas's voice in Sora, and she was back to looking out of Kairi's eyes desperately, but all she saw was Sora, and despair took her again, making Kairi gasp. Naminé wanted to breath, take in deep shuddering breaths, but there was nothing. She had no body, she was just... inside of Kairi, a prisoner who could do nothing but float and grieve. Alone, always alone...

Kairi took another shuddering breath, and Naminé tried to bottle it up again.

"I... thought she and Roxas were gone or something?" said Sora, sitting down, "Honestly, that whole thing was weird. I still don't understand what exactly happened."

"Neither do I," admitted Kairi quietly, "And that... what just happened was scary... I've never felt that kind of... of _suffering_ before."

"She... hurt you?" asked Sora, confused.

Naminé looked away. Always hurting people...

"No," said Kairi, "_She's_ the one hurting."

If she had a throat, it would have constricted at those words.

Kairi stood up, "Where's Riku? He might have some kind of idea what's going on. Because Naminé made it sound as if this was the only way for her and Roxas to live on, so why is there this _pain_?"

Oh no...

No no no...

She watched with despair as the pair found Riku on the small island across the bridge and cornered him. The questions started flying, and Naminé wished she could sink so deep into Kairi she'd disappear forever...

"Okay, so Naminé was a different kind of Nobody?" asked Kairi.

"DiZ said that she was 'highly unusual'," explained Riku, "Because she didn't have the body nor memories that a Nobody is usually born with. Roxas got Sora's original body, and you kept yours, she's like a phantom. The truest Nobody of them all."

Nobody... that's all she was, nothing...

"Don't," said Kairi sharply, a rise to her voice, "Say that."

Riku blinked. "Say what?"

"Don't call her that," hissed Kairi, "It hurts her."

Riku gave Kairi a confused look. "How? For one, she's a part of you now, she should be gone. For two, she's a Nobody, she doesn't have emoti..."

_SLAP_

Naminé watched, stunned, as Kairi's hand ripped across Riku's face. "Bullshit!"

"Woah... uh... easy Kairi," said Sora, reaching forward and pulling her back.

It was like Naminé was in an ocean of red. Everything was hot, melty, a burning sensation in her chest. It was... anger. That was anger... it felt like it could swallow her up, but it felt... _good_ to feel it... something to sink her memories into that felt right...

Riku watches Kairi, wide eyed, hand up to his face, saying nothing.

"You can't feel nothing," said Kairi slowly, angrily, "And feel that kind of anguish, self-loathing, isolation and loneliness..."

Riku looked away for a moment. "Maybe since she returned to you she can feel through you, she... had a pretty crappy life. Maybe she needs to sort through that before she fades into you."

Was... that it? Just acknowledge what had happened, and then she'd be free?

Free to fade?

"Why did she even have to?" demanded Kairi, "Why couldn't she live on her own?"

"Its like I said," explained Riku, "She was a phantom, her entire existence was unstable. The Organization wore their cloaks to protect them from the Darkness eating away at their existence. Naminé never wore one of those."

"Then why didn't you get her one?" exclaimed Kairi.

Riku hesitated. "I... never thought to? I'm not sure it would have mattered."

Kairi huffed. "And why not?"

"Nobodies are fated to fade away," he answers, "Their entire existence isn't supposed to happen. Its why they were trying to make Kingdom Hearts to get their hearts back and be whole. If they hadn't been messing with our worlds and lives, I wouldn't have done anything to stop them. But they were ruthless, cruel, emotionless monsters who..."

"Who just wanted his friend back," snapped Kairi thinly, "If you're thinking of Axel. I'm pissed he kidnapped me, believe me, but I heard him muttering enough about wanting Roxas back to understand what drove him."

Kairi's eyes narrowed. "I may not have really known Naminé outside those few minutes we were running through the castle, but not once did I ever feel like she was a bad person. Sneaky maybe, but not bad."

"I'm not saying she was...," began Riku.

"Sneaky?" butted in Sora.

Kairi looked away for a long moment, and Naminé could feel the girl's guilt and frustration, "I didn't know taking her hand would destroy her, she tricked me into it. Do you know what its like to see someone start to blur and fade away as you're running together and have no idea why? Then to realize later its your fault?"

Kairi looked down at her clenched hands. "I thought maybe, it was okay, if this was how she could live on, but it's _not okay._"

Her shoulder's slumped. "It's not. All those bits of negative emotions I've been feeling on and off that make no sense... they're not mine, they're _Naminé's,_ and no one should feel like this. I... what she feels makes me think she came back to me not to be whole, but with the intention to _die_."

How... how did she...

"What in the heck..." began Sora, shocked, before rounding on Riku, "Okay, you said she had a crappy life, what did you mean?"

Pure panic ripped through her. Riku would tell them of Castle Oblivion, then they'd know what Naminé had done, replacing Kairi with herself, and everything would be even worse. Sora was forgiving, but Kairi? How would she react to that? No no no no no...

Kairi made another choking sound. "Okay... okay we... we need to pick this up tomorrow. I _can't_ keep getting hit like this without downtime."

It took Naminé a moment to realize Kairi was running from Sora and Riku, practically sprinting towards the boats, ignoring the boy's calls for her to wait. Kairi rowed back to the mainland and bolted to her house, to her room, in what Naminé was sure was record speed. Kairi curled on her bed, bringing her knees up to her chest and putting her head between them breathing raggedly for a time.

"I... I'm sorry Naminé," whispered Kairi, curling her arms around herself, "I'm so sorry..."

Why was she sorry? She had nothing to apologize for. She was good. She was light. She was everything Sora would need. A real friend for everyone else. She had never hurt anyone else... not like Naminé had...

"I'm so sorry..."

* * *

When Kairi slept was the only time Naminé could really relax herself. When sight faded away, and she found herself sitting on the edge of a platform floating above an endless abyss of darkness. It wasn't real, just a manifestation of Kairi's heart, her prison made real in a dreaming mind. It still allowed her the motions of expressing herself though. Screaming out into the dark, crying, clawing at herself, breathing in and out, questioning her existence aloud, reminders of things she'd never have again...

"Naminé."

Her breath hitched. It couldn't be...

She slowly turned her head, and there, standing at the center of the platform, was a confused, but concerned, Kairi, staring at the young blonde's tear stained face. She took a step forward, hands reaching, but Naminé reflexively shied away from the hands that had taken everything away, making the girl stop. Kairi looked down at her anxiously, mouth opening and closing a few times, anguish and guilt on her face, before she spoke one word.

"Why?"

"I don't deserve to exist," whispered Naminé back, looking downward.

Kairi growled. "Like hell you don't. Everyone deserves to exist, Naminé."

She just shook her head, not looking up at her true self. "I'm just your shadow. I'm a Nobody, a nobody, I don't have the right to be. I just hurt people..."

Kairi closed her eyes for a long moment, fists clenched in anger, growing vicious. "Whoever made you think like this better already be dead, or I'll tear them apart myself."

Naminé didn't respond.

"Naminé... what do you want?" asked Kairi.

"To fade away," answered Naminé softly.

"What do you truly want?" stressed Kairi, "Because I _refuse_ to accept that."

Naminé swallowed thickly, the way her true self was looking at her... she... she couldn't lie. "I don't want to be alone. I... I want to have had the chance to help people when it really mattered, not be forced to hurt them."

There is compassion in Kairi's eyes that makes Naminé want to shy away because she doesn't deserve it. "You're a better person than some of the people I've met or heard about if that's all you want. Naminé... no one deserves to be alone. Everyone deserves to be loved, and loved in turn. No one deserves to be forced to hurt others."

Naminé looks away, at least, until a light started to shine, making her look up at her somebody. Kairi was holding a glowing open palm at Naminé. "I _refuse_ to accept this, I _refuse_ to be a prison."

"I wont let you suffer," Kairi whispered with determination, "You deserve your own life."

Naminé's eyes went wide to see an blue heart shaped silhouette appear in the distance behind Kairi. That was... Kingdom Hearts? How..., were the Princesses connected to it?

Kairi illuminated with intense light, blue light from the Kingdom Hearts reaching out to entwined with her own, her voice radiating power, "I'm a Princess of Heart. What good is this power if I can't do anything with it? I brought Sora back from being a heartless, I have to be able to do something for you, _anything_."

The last thing Naminé saw was light exploding out of Kairi's hands, engulfing Naminé in its glory and warmth...

* * *

_-She begs me with an intent as pure as her heart. Your life is free to do as you wish, Shadow of my child. Step out of the shade, into the light, into a time when you can truely help those who need it, and make your desire a reality-_


	2. New Life

_**Chapter 2: New Life**_

* * *

*_poke poke poke_* "Hewo?"

Naminé slowly opened her eyes, dizzy and confused, but feeling soft fingers poking her cheeks. Wait... her cheeks?

Her eyes flew open and she let out a startled gasp when sunlight flooded into them from above. She cringed, one hand going up to shield them, the other digging into grass and dirt underneath her body, a ripple of shock and confusion radiating through her. What in the world... how was she... how did she...

"Are you okay miss?"

Naminé lowered her hands and blinked a few times, the outline of a very young redheaded girl slowly appearing to be standing over her. "You fell outa a bright light."

"I... did?" said Naminé weakly.

"Ahuh," said the girl, "It was all swirly and shiny and sparkly and then 'poof'!" throwing her hands up into the sky and spinning on one leg, "You dropped down!"

Naminé rubbed her eyes and squinted, starting to make out the more detailed features of the girl. She was in a white dress with a purple bottom and blue lines along the top. She had purple-blue-white shoes, a soft and young face, but those eyes, those blue eyes... they were so familiar... unsettlingly familiar.

"Hey grandma!" called out the girl, looking past her, "I don't think she looks so good."

"Who doesn't look so good, Kairi?" came a curious old voice.

Kairi...?

Naminé swallowed thickly, her eyes going wide, staring into the little girl's blue's own. That was... that's impossible...

"Y... you're Ka... airi...?" whispered Naminé.

It... it was her... it felt like her... it was her... but that's... shes just a little girl...

"Oh... oh my, where did you come from dear?" came a concerned voice.

Naminé leaned her head back to see an elder woman in a purple dress with a white apron over it. "I... I don't..."

She had been inside of Kairi, trapped, how was she out and alive? Why was Kairi a young child?

The little girl held out a hand. "Here, lemme help."

A hand that an older Kairi had held out not long ago...

To take her back in...

To absorb her...

Reclaim her...

To imprison her...

Naminé screamed. "NO!"

She shrank back, a surge of ice rocketing up her spine, the physical beat in her chest so loud and fast her ears were ringing, her eyes watering, a sob escaping her lips, rolling over and curling in on herself as she breathed raggedly. Not again-not again-not again-not again-not again...

Kairi yelped a little and stumbled a few steps backwards, withdrawing her hand and then falling on her bum, startled and looking a little scared.

"Shh child, shh," came the elderly woman's voice, kneeling down next to Naminé and rubbing her back, "Shh."

"G-grama? Whats wrong with her?" asked Kairi skittishly.

"She's just a little scared, that's all," said the elderly woman.

"But I'm not scary," whined Kairi.

"Well I don't know dear," teased the woman, "You are my ferocious little granddaughter."

Kairi giggled a little and made claws at her grandmother. "Rawr rawr!"

Naminé just laid there, curled up, for a few minutes as the ringing leaving her ears, the soothing hand on her back ever present, slowly coming back to herself. She uncurled a bit, peaking up at the elderly woman. She took note, and removed her hand. "Feeling better?"

"I... I don't know."

The woman gave her a look over, a slight frown on her face, lingering on Naminé's eyes for a long moment before she turned her head to Kairi, then back to Naminé, cautious curiosity in her gaze. "Hmm... what is your name dear?"

Naminé didn't need to be able to peer into the woman's memories to understand her connecting the dots even if she didn't understand why or what or how. If she was Kairi's grandmother, she knew her grandaughter's eyes anywhere, even if they were on someone else's face. "I'm no one."

The woman looked displeased. "No one?"

Naminé turned her head away, mumbling, "Just a shadow, just a Nobody."

The woman's frown deepened intently.

"Grama?" asked Kairi quietly, coming up to stand next to her, not-so-subtly whispering, "Why does she talk like that?"

The grandmother said nothing for a long moment, Naminé could feel her eyes upon her, before she spoke, "Because I think someone did her wrong Kairi."

Naminé tensed a little when she felt old wrinkly hands slide under her. "Oof, good heavens, I'm getting to old to be carting little girls around."

Naminé swallowed thickly as the woman heft her up and cradled her against her chest. "Come dear, lets find you a bed to rest in, my granddaughter is right, you don't look well."

She said nothing in response, just laid relatively limp in the woman's trembling arms. It was selfish, the woman was old, she shouldn't be carrying a body equivalent to a young teenager. She just... couldn't muster the strength to say anything, or do anything, but be carried around. In some ways though... it was nice... she didn't think anyone had ever carried her like this before. She'd been dragged around plenty of times by her wrist, though Larxene had grabbed her by her hair once or twice. That had hurt. This though, it was gentle, careful.

It made her ache.

"Kairi dear, could you go open the door for me?" asked the woman.

"Kay!" said Kairi, rushing up ahead.

"Would you like to rest, or bathe first?" asked Kairi's grandmother.

Naminé didn't answer.

The woman sighed. "Well, you've been laying in the dirt, you could use a bathe before being put into bed, your dress could probably use a wash too, best to get dirt stains out quickly, white is always such a chore to clean."

Naminé's eyes flickered up, sighting a cottage a ways from the stone path the woman was walking on, a small dirt road with a picket fence around it, plastered with finger-paints. Inside the fence was a garden on one side, a small play area on the other side, Kairi's was waiting on the steps, eagerly holding the door open while bouncing on her feet. Kairi's grandmother took Naminé inside and down the hall and into the bathroom, setting her down on the edge of a tub.

The woman huffed a bit, wiping her forehead. "Oh I miss my younger days. I could cart my own daughter across the town and back."

She sagged a little, sad. "Oh how I miss her."

Naminé blinked once. Kairi had no memories of any parents, this woman's voice tickled deep, buried childhood memories, so Kairi at least had known her. "What... happened?"

The woman looked away for a moment. "The investigation says it was an accident, took both my daughter and her husband from me in one night. My heart tells me someone did it intentionally. Someone robbed my sweet Granddaughter of her parents, me of my daughter."

She shook her head. "It's in the past my dear, lets get you washed."

She started the tub and then motioned to Naminé's dress. "Alright, out of that. I'll give you some of my spare clothes after while that's washing."

Naminé swallowed, eyes going wide. "You'd... give me clothes?"

No one had given her anything else to wear since she'd been born.

Kairi's grandmother gave her a puzzled look. "Of course, I'm not going to just leave you to walk around naked."

She huffed. "Kairi used to try to do that. Weaseled out of getting dressed once and ran down the street as bare as the moon once without an ounce of shame. Ah the innocence of children."

Naminé smiled a little. "It... sounds like a good memory."

"Oh I'll tease her endlessly about it when she's older," agreed Kairi's grandmother.

Naminé giggled a little before reaching for the bottom of her dress and lifting it up, taking it off, and handing it to the woman. Kairi's grandmother took it and set it on the sink before turning back, "Alright, lets get you in and..."

There was a sudden, sharp intake of breath, and Naminé's head turned to see the woman staring at her back in horror. Slowly, the woman walked forward and lifted a trembling hand inches from her back, her voice shaky, "That's..."

Then her tone changed.

"Dear," asked the woman with a voice of pure fire, of an righteous anger as she rested a finger on her back, on what felt like a little bump, "I'm going to ask you once, and only once. Are these cut marks on your back?"

Naminé froze and paled.

"_Something to remember me by you little witch_," whispered a memory of Larxene's malice filled voice, "_Nothing left where anyone can see them, but these you'll always feel and recall our time together._"

This... if this wasn't a dream of some kind, and she somehow had a new body, why would those still be there? Was this an exact replica of her old body?

She twitched a little. Why did the word 'Replica' make her ache?

Kairi's grandmother took one look at her pale face and closed her eyes. "Oh child."

The woman drew her into a hug, and Naminé trembled in it. She wished, oh how she wished, this woman had been her actual grandmother, that she had actual family. She was being so kind. Not because she had her memories messed with like with Sora, or because of a promise built on lies, or because Kairi herself had perhaps felt responsible for her. At most Naminé looked a little like the woman's granddaughter, and could offer her nothing that she knew of, she had just apparently dropped out of the sky, and was a stranger, but the woman still cared. She was nice just because she could.

The woman helped her into the tub and started washing her down. The shampoo smelt of flowers, it was a foreign, but soothing sensation. It was the first time she'd had anything like that. The most DiZ had ever gotten for her was a bar of soap at the old mansion, and Castle Oblivion had been spartan. Nothing in that place was welcoming or helped out an intruder, what one brought in was all they had. She'd been fortunate Larxene had thrown a scubbie at her to wash herself off with because she said she stank.

This... being completely clean, her skin tingly if but a little wrinkled on her hands, her hair not feeling greasy, was nice.

The clothes Kairi's grandmother briefly left to get, a nice knitted purple sweater and pants, felt strange. Not uncomfortable, just... she was used to having her arms and legs bare, used to being cold. Castle Oblivion had been a a little cool, the Twilight Town Mansion on the other hand had terribly cold nights. DiZ had never bothered getting her commodities like warmer clothes, a blanket, or a heater. Being warm... it felt nice. Though the feel of cloth on skin that had never born it before would take getting used to.

She led her down the hall and to a little maroon room filled with stuffed animals, toys, little child-drawn pictures, and a small bed. Kairi was there, sorting through her animals. "Dear, you can rest here."

"But... this is her room," murmured Naminé.

"That's 'kay," said Kairi cheerfully, plucking out a stuffed chocobo toy, "I'll sleep with gramma."

She looked down at the toy for a moment, thinking, before walking over and holding it out, "Here. This is Boco. He's my bestest friend, he says he'll keep you company."

Naminé's eyes went a little wide for a moment, staring at the little toy, before she carefully reached out and took it (_making sure not to touch Kairi_). "T-thank you."

The girl's grandmother gave the child a warm smile. "That was very nice of you Kairi."

Kairi beamed. "Boco says everyone should be nice, and sharing is a part of that. My bestest friend has the best advice!"

Naminé gave Kairi a curious look. She understood the thing with young children and make-believe/inanimate object friends, but, why would she choose this over a real person as her 'bestest' friend? She broke her thoughts and took a step back when Kairi started forward with a hugging motion, aborting the movement.

Kairi's grandmother laid a soft hand on the young child's shoulder. "She doesn't like to be touched dear."

Kairi gave her a baffled look. "Oh, um, okay?"

Naminé just hugged the toy chocobo to her chest and averted her eyes.

"Well, have a nice nap," said Kairi awkwardly, taking her grandmother's hand.

"Sleep well child, when you wake up, if you're feeling up to it, I'll make you some soup," offered Kairi's grandmother.

Naminé nodded her head and walked over to the bed, sitting down on it, freeing one hand from the chocobo to run along the blanket, to squeeze a pillow. It was all so soft. She laid down on the bed, staring up aimlessly at the ceiling as she clutched the toy, taking a shaking breath as the stress of it all caught up to her. She took a number of deep breaths until the soft patter of feet drew her attention to Kairi's grandmother, walking over and giving her a deeply concerned look.

"It helps to draw the blanket up dear," she said softly.

Naminé blinked and averted her eyes, mumbling, "I know, just..."

Wasn't used to having one to actually do it. She would have eventually drawn it up.

The elderly woman gently tugged the blanket out from under her, Naminé shifting a bit to let her do so, and laid it on top. "Thank you."

"Of course dear," said the woman, looking down at her for a moment before turning and walking away.

With all the confusion and stress plaguing her sudden new existence, she thought it might have taken awhile to get asleep, but...

* * *

Naminé blinked awake all the sudden, to the sound of voices talking outside of the room.

"What is it exactly you wished to report, ma'am?" came a deep, and terrifying familiar voice.

Of a titan of a man, hard and unmoving. Cold and uncaring. A nobody that hardly pretended any emotion of all. Who looked once at her, at Larxene, at Marluxia, and turned away from what was happening, not bothering to do anything.

Laxaeus.

"My granddaughter and I found a child earlier today, just entering her teenage years if I had to guess," explained the woman, "She... showed signs of both physical and mental abuse."

Naminé rolled away, putting her back to the door, hugging Kairi's toy chocobo tighter.

"Abused?" snarled Laxaeus in a deep, kindling voice, ire and anger rising.

"She has cut marks on her back, and the way she talks about herself worries me," admitted Kairi's grandmother.

Laxaeus said nothing for a long moment before he spoke in a tight voice. "The child's name?"

"She never gave it, and I've never seen her before," answered the woman, "She's blonde, has blue eyes, pale skin, and was dressed only in a small white dress that didn't properly fit her. Honestly... I gave her new clothes and she looked at me like I had just given her the world."

Naminé swallowed thickly, grabbing a pillow to shift over her ears. It didn't help much.

"There hasn't been a child abuse case since I was a young boy myself," muttered Laxaeus sourly, "I'll pass word along to the rest of the guard. They are going to want to interview the child."

"I'm making soup for her to eat, perhaps afterwards when she actually has something in her belly," suggested the woman.

"Very well," agreed Laxaeus.

"Thank you, Guardsman Aeleus."

Naminé gave a start and whispered, "Aeleus...?"

She turned her head towards the door and closed her eyes. There was no presence of a Nobody nearby. It... it wasn't him, it sounded just like him though. She curled up around the chocobo toy, turning its head up to face her. It felt awkward to do so, but... she'd never had a stuffed animal to talk to. Not to mention... she was technically only a bit older than one year old, even if her physical body was based on Kairi's. Or well... older Kairi's? It was never to late to try she guessed...

"Boco right?" she whispered, "What do you think is going on?"

She had only ever seen a chocobo in toy stores in some of Twilight Town's shops. She didn't know if they were a real animal or not. It was... a bird though right? They chirped or hooted. Some people say they sang, though nothing like a humanoid did. She tried to imagine the toy chirping back to her in the common language... it just felt awkward to even try. She sighed, depressed. She'd never had an actual childhood, trying to do childlike things now was pointless.

She didn't let go of the toy though. She liked the fluffy thing.

She retreated inwardly to think, tuning out everything else around her. She did, first, the only thing that ever seemed to calm or comfort her when everything else was going wrong, that DiZ was having a particularly bad day and took it out on her, or things like that. She reached for her connection to Sora, for the comfort she could never truly have from him. It was there, and for a moment, she just basked in his ability to live happily, to be content, to have friends, _a real life_. Though, the connection was... different. Not diminished, just... bubbling with youthful energy. Sora had always been a mixture of silly and goofy, though he could be serious when it counted. This... it was actual youth.

He was as young as Kairi was currently.

Naminé wasn't stupid. There was an answer, its just... how? Her last memories were of Kairi talking to her in that heartspace. Her true self, her somebody, _the real person_, had been trying to do something for her, for some reason. Naminé didn't deserve the attempt, especially if Kairi had somehow actually succeeded. Or... no. It hadn't be Kairi, the Princess of Heart had asked, and something _else_ had answered. Something bordering on divinity...

* * *

_-She begs me with an intent as pure as her heart. Your life is free to do as you wish, Shadow of my child. Step out of the shade, into the light, into a time when you can truly help those who need it, and make your desire a reality-_

* * *

That toneless, soundless voice. More like words imprinted into her head than someone speaking to her. What had been said makes her squirm uncomfortably. Did Kingdom Hearts have its own voice? It's own thoughts and will? Or was it something else? If not... why would it grace her a moment of its light? A chance to live? Just because Kairi hoped to be able to do something? And what it said... she wanted to help people, but all her power did was hurt them. Rearranging memories or shattering their chains was hardly a benevolent ability, it was also limited to people connected to Sora, so she couldn't even use it to stop bad people.

Kingdom Hearts had wasted its time.

She drew the covers over her head and curled tightly under them, burying her face in the toy chocobo; tired, so tired...

* * *

Naminé nearly screamed when she woke up to the face of a certain red head inches from her own under the covers. "Am I really that scary?"

Naminé swallowed thickly. "It's... its not... not you, its just... please don't touch me. Something really bad," for her at least, "Would happen."

"But... I already touched you," said a baffled Kairi, making Naminé's face pale, "I poked you when you fell out of the sky and nothing happened."

Naminé felt dizzy and faint, "Nothing... nothing happened? I... I didn't fade away?"

She didn't lose what little freedom and existence she had?

"No?" answered Kairi, confused.

Naminé made a choking sound.

Kairi sat up, pushing the covers off them, "Are you okay?"

Naminé lunged at her, making Kairi yelp as she pulled the little girl into a hug, crying and rasping out, "Thank you... thank-you thank-you-_thank you_."

For being the reason she exists even as she does in the first place.

For being kind enough to care about someone who doesn't truly exist.

For not leaving her in that prison within her flesh.

For asking a second chance at life for her even if she didn't deserve it, hadn't wanted it, and had just wanted to fade into her (_for not believing that_).

"U...um, okay," said Kairi, looked a odd mixture between happy, confused, and concerned.

The door creaks open, through her blurry eyes, Naminé can see Kairi's grandmother standing there with the outline of two uniformed men behind her, the woman looks her over for a moment before turning to her companions, "Perhaps... she should be given a night's rest before you ask your questions."

"Of course," murmured Aeleus, "We've at least seen her and can begin a preliminary investigation off what she looks like. But if she has been kept in a cellar or hidden in a house all her life, the chances are slim of any kind of identification."

Naminé turned her head away, shutting them out. Even if that had kind of been true. Marluxia and that room in Castle Oblivion, DiZ and the White Room in the mansion, not to mention DiZ had thrown her in a closet and locked her in there until Axel eventually plucked her out of there after Roxas had... she buried that line of thought away with a shudder.

There was rattling of dishware being set on a dresser, then a shifting of the bed as Kairi's grandmother sat down next to them and rubbed gentle circles on Naminé's back. "Shh child. My granddaughter and I will take you in and look after you. Everything will be alright now, I promise."

Naminé clung to them desperately, feeling light headed and surreal beyond belief. If this was a dream, then she hoped she'd never wake up. Even if it was a lie, it would still be the kindest thing ever done for her. A new life all her own was more than she could have ever hoped for...

* * *

**Author's Notes**:

_Friendly reminder just how much of a scumbag DiZ was. In the manga he literally left Naminé locked in a closet to starve/dehydrate to death until Axel found her in chapter 14 of the manga. Which... could possibly have been days locked in there considering Sora took a gumi trip to another world in that timeframe._

_P.S. any good idea's for Kairi's grandmother's name?_


	3. Discomforting Situations

**Chapter 3: Discomforting Situations**

* * *

_**Author's Notes**: Kingdom Hearts is rated T for Teen. This fanfiction isn't. In this Fanfic there wont be anything explicit, but lets just say the vibes I got from Marluxia whenever he interacted with Namine gave me baaaaad feelings, not when I was younger and first playing the game, but older looking back? Yeah... I remember the cut-scene when he put his hand on her shoulder, she jolts in_ _**fear**, that she can barely stand to look up from the floor_._ If you can't handle the implications or notion of that kind of child-abuse, see yourself out. This is your only warning, this is a darker fanfiction._

* * *

Waking up to a warm bed was a strange sensation. No shivering or chills, no stuffy noses. What's more... her body felt... fine. Her body didn't feel like it was fading in and out of existence, she felt all of her limbs, there was no tingling numbness or lack of sensation, no fear that she was about to just vanish. There was no pain her chest for a lack of a heart, no empty sensation aching to be filled with whatever she could manage through interaction, even DiZ's cruelty had been preferable to empty isolation. She didn't feel the same flexibility of a Nobody's body (_a monster's body_), where she could bend at inhuman angles if she really wanted to. There were no lingering pains or aches from old injuries (_abuses_)...

Namine just... woke up warm and nothing felt wrong.

She couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears at that.

There was such a swirl of sensations inside her, she wasn't blind or dumb, she knew exactly what they were. What it meant for her to _feel_. That she... that she wasn't a... a Nobody anymore... that Kingdom Hearts had been able to give her what all Nobody's yearned for. Yet... it was constricting, suffocating, it _hurt_ to be bombarded by them all at once. It was also confusing, because she swears she had felt some of them before, not to this extreme, and not through Sora or Kairi or those linked to them, but through herself... she had brushed them off always as phantom sensations, things she desired, or remembered through other, yet... having felt them full force now...

She doesn't _understand_.

Then the door to her room opens, and there is a quick pattering of tiny feet before little Kairi scrambles up into the bed and hugs Namine as tight as she can. "Hey! Hey! Are you okawy?"

Namine chokes, because it feels like she can't breath. Yesterday was a confusing mess, now... now its settling in and... she just can't...

"Grama! Grama!" calls out Kairi worriedly.

Namine curls, trying to breath, trying not to be a bother, there's spots in her vision, can't... can't...

There is a hard whack on her back and it jolts Namine into a deep, ragged breath, and then a fit of coughing, she lays there, shaking and breathing, Kairi clinging to her, the girl's grandmother rubbing her back. "Shhh child, shh..."

* * *

Namine gives a start and blinks awake, not sure when she fell asleep again. She immediately feels the swirl of... of _emotions_ again before trying to shove them down. She doesn't need to drag Kairi and her Grandmother in and away from whatever they're doing just because Namine can't... can't _handle_ _this_. She wonders, absently, if any of the Organization Members had ever considered what it would actually mean to get their hearts back, because Namine can't stand herself, couldn't before and definitely couldn't now with a heart, and while what she did to Sora, to Roxas, was horrible, what many of the Organization had done was even worse. Would they have been able to handle it?

She has doubts on that.

She doesn't move from Kairi's bed, just pulls the covers tighter, clings to Boco harder. It aches inside, it _hurts_, she doesn't want to go anywhere and do anything but stay here. She's not paralyzed, she'd felt that from Larxene's shocks and knives into her spine before the cure spells fixed the damage, its just... like there is some kind of fog in her head, a weight all over her body, crippling and preventing her from doing anything...

When Kairi and her Grandmother come in, and Namine doesn't react to them, Kairi whispers to her grandma. "Whaz wong with her now?"

Now.

As if its was expected for something to be wrong with her.

The weight gets heavier...

"Depression."

"Waz hat?" asked Kairi.

The Grandmother sits on the bed, running a hand through Namine's hair. "She's just sad Kairi, really sad..."

* * *

"Dear child? There are some people who would like to speak to you after you've finished your soup," said Kairi's Grandmother.

A request, and another scolding for not finishing it yet. It... it was just so hard to find the will to eat. She let out a soft sigh, nodded, and sluggishly moved to the edge of the bed, to the prop-up table put there with a now lukewarm mostly full bowl of soup. She sluggishly lifts the spoon, little droplets of it spattering on the table, on the bed, and on her clothes. It adds more to the weight... getting their room and clothes messy... she lets the spoon sink back into the bowl after her first mouthful and stares at it in silence.

There is a pattering of booted feet several minutes later, heavy, but as if they're trying to be quiet. The bed shifts and she feels it depress. She turns her head slightly to see Laxaeus... no, Aeleus, he's not a Nobody yet, sitting down carefully next to her. She catches a brief sight of Xaldin leaning against the door near the wall, she doesn't know what his somebody's name was.

"Good afternoon young one," offers Aeleus in a deep, but soft tone, so gentle compared to that empty powerful voice she remembered.

She doesn't respond, she can't bring herself to, she just stares at him.

The man's lips purse with clear unhappyness. His hands are clenched tightly around the blanket on the bed. She... upsets him. She bows her head and looks away, she doesn't want to be anyone's problem anymore...

"My name is Aeleus, and this is my friend, Dilan," offers Aeleus.

Namine knows its polite to say something, she just...

Aeleus holds his silence, waiting.

It takes Namine a very long time to offer a quiet, "Hello..."

Aeleus takes in a quick breath, had he been holding it that long waiting? "Could you tell me your name, young one?"

Namine swallows thickly. Why do they keep asking? It doesn't matter... the last person she had ask her name had been Roxas, or had she offered it without him even asking? It didn't matter either way, she had destroyed him to save Sora. Its better they not know her, safer for them. If... if she could just get the will to form a Dark Corridor and go somewhere else... she wouldn't bother them...

"I'm no one," she murmurs.

"Do you not have a name?" he asked, his voice thick with... _something_, "If... you were never given one perhaps..."

At that, her breath hitches. Xemnas had tried to name her once, but she had refused him and chosen her own... its why she had been left in Castle Oblivion rather than joining the Organization, even back then something had rubbed her wrong about him. There is a flare of fire in her all of the sudden that washes over the fog. Her fists clench in her laps, and its like she's burning inside. Maybe she is no one, but she will _never_ let anyone else take her name from her and give her another.

"Namine," she answers, her voice quiet but harsh, "My name is Namine."

Aeleus gives a soft hum. "Namine, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Strange," comes a soft murmur from Xaldin, "She reacted at the notion of being named?"

Aeleus doesn't pay him mind and continues to speak, "Namine, I would like to ask you several questions, is that alright?"

She gives a sharp nod, but doesn't look at him, still staring at her soup. The fire is still there inside, she doesn't know what to do with it.

"If you are not comfortable answering, you may refuse," offered Aeleus, "But we wish to help you, and make sure who hurt you cannot hurt others. We were told you had cut marks on your back. What is the name of the person who did this?"

She's still burning, it won't stop, why won't it stop? She spits out the name with venom. "Larxene."

She catches Aeleus looking to Dilan out of the corner of her eyes, but the man shakes his head. They wouldn't know Larxene, at least not by that name, she might not even be of this world for all Namine knew. Oh she desperately hoped she wasn't...

"Was there anyone else who hurt you or... touched you in ways that made you uncomfortable?" asked Aeleus, sounding extremely uncomfortable himself.

_Touched you..._

At that, the fire is gone, turned into ice that chills her. She curls a little, the ice she feels is black, black ice, its... its _fear_. She doesn't... doesn't want to think of Marluxia... the hand on her shoulder, chilling voice whispered so close to her ear, the hand trailing down her trembling arm to her...

"Namine?" questioned Aeleus softly, a hand on her shoulder.

Namine gives a sob and violently pulls away, knocking into the prop-up table and flipping it, sending the soup all over. She curls on herself as she feels the bed shift. The world spins for her, shes in her room in Castle Oblivion, Marluxia's hand on her shoulder, knees depressing and shifting as he leaved over her, nononononononono... she had done what Marluxia wanted, he _**PROMISED**_! He promised not to...

"Dilan, go get Lady Ame," ordered Aeleus, "Now."

The world jars around her, shes not in Castle Oblivion. Marluxia is dead. Except he's not, he could come back again...

She bursts into tears. He could come back... he could come back... she can't... she can't...

Kairi's grandmother is there moments later, clutching her tightly. "Shhh dear one, shh, its alright, its alright, you are safe here. No one can hurt you here."

Namine clutches her desperately, burying her face into the woman's shoulder, taking deep and ragged breaths.

"Damn," she faintly heard Aeleus whisper, "Likely molested as well. When I get my hands on whoever did this..."

"All murder will do is end you up in jail," muttered Dilan, "Throw the book at them, but don't throw your life away with it. Scum like that isn't worth it, the other inmates generally take care of such trash anyway."

"If you could take such talk elsewhere, _please_?" stressed Kairi's grandmother.

The two leave the room, and Namine clutches the old woman for dear life, slightly flinching when Kairi comes to join and hug her. They stay there for a long time, letting her take deep breaths...

In out...

In out...

In... out...

I...n...o...u...t...

* * *

"What was the person's name?"

The question is soft, and gentle. Still so odd from Aeleus's lips, even a few visits now. Namine hated herself for being so weak. For freezing up or sobbing at the thought of... of... Castle Oblivion and what happened there. It had been easier when she didn't have a heart. What had she been thinking wanting this? Everything _ached_ so badly, things she'd been able to think about before in a detached way, or at least suppressed compared to this, were so hard to handle. She had been able to get up every day to help fix the damage she did to Sora without trouble. Now?

Now it was a struggle to even get out of bed, to even eat. It made Kairi's grandmother scared, which made her feel bad. It also made her feel physically weak. It took her far to long to realize that since she had a heart, since she was human now and not some _freakish non-existent monster_... that she had all the requirements of being human. Nobodies didn't _need_ to eat, but she'd seen the Organization do so, something to cling on to, something else to fake to make themselves seem normal. Seem real. Sleeping was one of the few restrictions they seemed to share with real beings. Aging... well... that was a swing and a miss for Nobodies, it was weird how it didn't make sense. Some aged, but most didn't, maybe she was missing something on the why of it. Namine herself was _weird_ anyway without that. Her none-existence had broken enough rules as it was, so that wasn't really that big of a thing...

"What was the first letter of their name?"

Namine blinked at that. M... M... that was... that was easier...

"M."

"The next?"

"A."

"R."

"L."

"U."

"X."

"I."

"A."

When she didn't continue, Aeleus sounded it. "Marluxia."

Namine reflexively curled, choking a little.

Aeleus's hand was on her back, rubbing gentle circles. "Shh child, shh. They can't hurt you anymore, you have the entire castle guard who would readily stand as your shield."

She blinks up at him through tears, opening and closing her mouth a few times before a whisper escaped, "Why?"

There is deep sorrow on his face. "No child, no person, should be hurt as you have been, young one. All of us care, and are deeply concerned for you. We would readily step in to protect you."

_Then why didn't you before?_

Something must have shown in her eyes, because he closed his own and sighed, "I'm sorry we couldn't before."

Namine stares down at her knees, her fists clenched tightly in them, saying nothing...

* * *

"So that's the girl, huh?"

Namine sneaks a look from the couch on the living room of Kairi's home. She had learned that there had been guards stationed continually to watch over their house since she had first been reported. To protect... protect _her_. The warmth that invaded her chest at the thought of it, ever since learning it, had... had helped her get up from bed. Helped her eat. That more than just Kairi and the Grandmother who raised her could care. That the two weren't just special unique over-caring circumstances. It changed day by day, and she got to meet new faces, most she didn't recognize...

But the young man she saw now at Dilan's side peeking through the doorway she did. Was that... **_Leon_**?! He was so young...

Dilan cuffs the back of his head. "It's rude to stare, let us check in with Lady Ame and be on our way."

Leon scowls at the man, but moves, briefly giving Namine a nod as he does, a protective glint in his eye. He doesn't even know her... but he still wants to... to keep her safe...

Namine's eyes trail the specter from Sora's past until he was out of sight. That's right... she hadn't considered it, but he was from this world. Apparently as a guardsmen... or an apprentice one at least...

Then Namine's eyes furrow. Ame? Was that Kairi's grandmother's name? She feels abashed, it had been well over a week and she hadn't once asked the woman her name! She sighs and bows her head, curling on the couch and dragging Boco close to her. She lets her thoughts drift. If Leon was here, then so was Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie. She felt a little... awkward. She had seen who those people had grown up to be after...

Namine's breathing hitched, her eyes going wide.

_...after Radiant Garden fell to the Heartless and they wound up in Traverse Town._

Pure ice rolled down her spine, a choking sound escaping her lips. Oh no... oh no no no... Apprentice Xehanort was here, doing his experiments with the others, and it was going to lead to this world being ruined. Lead to the outbreak of the Heartless and in turn the Nobodies. Kairi would end up on Destiny Islands, clueless about her origins, about her lost loving grandmother. Xemnas would be born and start the Organization, he would find others, fine L... Larxene and M... Mar...

She shivers, gasps escaping her lips. Why? Why can't she even...

"Nami?"

She startled, blinking rapidly and seeing Kairi next to her, hands on the couch leaning towards her with concern. "Need Grama?"

Namine takes in a shaky breath and lets it out. "No... no I'm... I'm okay."

Kairi gives her a dubious look, pulling herself up onto the couch and cuddling next to her. Namine rests her head ontop of Kairi's, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She doesn't deserve to have been born from Kairi... she really doesn't...

* * *

"Do you want to go outside today Namine? I cleaned your old dress for you."

Namine looked up at Ame, and then at the white gown, and recoiled from it.

Ame took a step back at that. "Namine?"

"Not... not in that," answered Namine shakily.

She stared at the dress, befuddled and a little transfixed at the bubbling blackness inside of her. The... the **_hate_**... of it.

Ame frowned a little, carefully folding it. Her eyes questioning, but doesn't ask.

Namine averts her eyes before swallowing and answering anyway, "I..."

When she sees that dress, sees that white... she thinks of Castle Oblivion, she thinks of the White Room in the Mansion...

"I _hate_ white."

Ame asks the question then that Namine really wished she wouldn't have. "Why?"

Minutes pass before she can work up the nerve to answer. "My... my room was all white. Nothing else."

Nothing else but her drawings.

"I didn't... have any other clothes but that..." mumbled Namine, _barely_ withholding the urge to curl on herself.

Ame nods slowly, tucking the folded clothes away. "Of course. Why don't we go shopping today and pick you out some colorful clothes? Would you like that?"

"I... you don't... have to spend your money on me," murmured Namine.

Ame smiled softly. "Money isn't an issue child, even if it was, I would still do so. Do you wish to go shopping?"

Namine swallows, feeling so small. "I... I would like that..."

* * *

"...and the Castle is home to Ansem the Wise," explained Aeleus, sitting next to her on a bench in the gardens, "Our leader."

Namine freezes for a long moment, swallowing back her fear to _runrunrunrun_. "What... what is he like?"

What was DiZ like before he... before he became DiZ? Became a monster just as bad as the Nobodies he hated?

Aeleus studied her reaction for a moment. "Would you like to meet him?"

She instantly shrank away from him.

Aeleus frowned a little at the reaction. "There's no need to be afraid. Ansem the Wise is one of the most kind and gentle beings you will ever meet in your life."

Namine stared up blankly at him. DiZ... had been nice once? It... it was hard to imagine. DiZ hadn't been nice to her a day in her life.

"He leads us, and is one of our chief intelligence in our society, an impressive scientist along with his apprentices," explained Aeleus.

Namine swallowed at that. "What... are their names?"

"Even and young Ienzo."

Namine blinked. What...? She thought... she thought Ansem had six apprentices, not two? When had... when had the other four officially become his apprentices? Now that she thought on it, when had Aeleus made the switch from Guard to Apprentice? How... how far back was she? She doesn't think Kairi was much older than this before Radiant Garden fell. She can't... she can't even poke around those suppressed memories, she's linked to this Kairi yes, but that replaced the Kairi she had originally been born from. She no longer had a deep chain of memories to look into, and she finds herself woefully uninformed.

She takes a moment to identify who they are with the weird X name scheme. Vexen and Zexion. Vexen she hadn't interacted much with outside... outside of his initial 'testing' of her to identify her powers and abilities. She holds back a shudder at the thought of it, mind skittering away. Zexion had been a lot like his comrade, uninterested in her and uncaring. Spent more time in his books in the basement of Castle Oblivion than in the upper floors.

"What are they like?"

"Even is... absorbed," answers Aeleus in an amused tone, "He is devoted to science and the exploration of endless possibility, as he would say. Ienzo is a shy lad, a little younger than you. But he is very inquisitive and intelligence, a prodigy to be if there ever was one. Ienzo is more of an intern than an apprentice at his age, so the title is more for his benefit and self-esteem than official, but I imagine he'll officially earn the position in a year or so anyway."

He huffed. "He'll be the youngest scientist in our society to date. I wish he would enjoy his childhood more though, it worries me that he may be giving up to much in exchange for the purist of knowledge."

Namine peers up at him, remembering how the pair had stuck together as Nobodies. "You care for him."

Aeleus looks a little caught offguard before he gives her a considerate look. "Yes, I do. I knew his parents before they passed. I do my best to look out for the castle's young ward."

"That's kind of you," she offers quietly as they start heading back.

He gives her a warm smile and a thank you, but all the while, Namine is burning again, burning with the question of why he didn't look out for her, and trying to swallow back the guilt at the thought, because Aeleus isn't the same man who had looked the other way before...

* * *

"...and there's been these odd little creatures roaming about that have been attacking people," warned Dilan, whispering to Ame quietly, "We don't know where they come from or what they are, but you should be careful transversing Radiant Garden for the time being. There has been no casualties yet, but plenty of injuries ranging from scratches to broken bones."

Ame nodded solemnly, "I will be, thank you for the warning."

Namine listens quietly from her position curled on the couch. She'd thought they might be referring to Heartless, and wouldn't that be terrifying for them to be already here. But no, if it were Heartless, there wouldn't be physical injuries like that, people would be losing their hearts and transforming into more Heartless. It couldn't be Nobodies either at this point, not before the giant Heartless outbreak. So what were they talking about?

"And do not hesitate to call on us if need be, you have two young children to look after," continued Dilan, "And the guard as a whole are rather fond of young Namine."

Namine blushes a little, clutching Boco tighter to her as the warmth in her chest spreads and encompasses everything. She lays on the couch, a lazy smile on her face, and puts the creatures to the back of her mind...

* * *

Namine nestled in behind Kairi as Ame sat down on the chair next to the bed. "Tell Nami the story Grama!"

Ame gave her Grandaughter a warm smile. "Of course child."

She coughed and cleared her throat. "Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived... in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. So listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away."

Kairi's breathing had evened out to sleep or close to it by the end, but... Namine's had not, her eyebrows furrowed. That story...

The true light sleeps deep within the darkness... was that... Kingdom Hearts? It had been behind the Door to Darkness, what the Heartless Ansem had been seeking. "Ame?"

"Yes dear?"

"Where did you learn that story from?"

Ame chuckles. "Why, the same way you are learning it. I was a young lass myself when my own Grandmother first told it to me."

"Oh," said Namine, "Thank you for the story."

"Its my pleasure dear, good night."

Namine stayed awake longer than she should of that night, linking various things in that story to real life. The darkness that spread and swallowed both light and people's hearts... was that the Heartless? They had consumed the hearts of worlds after all. The hearts of children that pushed back the dark... was that referring to the Princess of Heart? Did... did Ame know what Kairi was? Or did she just assume it was a fable? Because she was right that the worlds were all scattered. The Door to Darkness had opened once, to destroy Ansem, but... Kingdom Hearts hadn't actually returned from the Realm of Darkness.

She wants to think on it more, but sleep slowly overtakes her...

* * *

"And I wike these flowers the bestest!" giggled Kairi, dragging Namine along through the gardens while Ame was in the castle visiting the library.

Namine lets her, a little smile on her face as Kairi picks from each pocket of flowers without focus, which Namine translates to 'all' of them being her favorite...

_Skitter skitter_

Namine blinks at the odd sound, what in the world was...

"Oooh, kitty!" giggles Kairi.

Namine frowns and follows Kairi's gaze... to something that is _definitely_ not a cat. It was this strange little creature that was somewhat humanoid in shape, but not color or appearance. It was entirely blue, and had thin arms and legs that didn't end in hands or feet. Its head was triangular, with oddly shaped ears and red eyes. Namine feels... _irritation_. Not herself, no, but from the creature. Its weird... its like the thing is composed entirely of irritation...

Then Kairi's hand reaches forward to pet it. "Kairi wait!"

The creature lashes out, scratching at Kairi's hand, making her squeal in pain and stagger back, clutching her hand to her chest. "Owwww!"

_Skitter skitter_

Namine's breath hitches when a lot more of the creatures suddenly show up. Her eyes go wide, her heart constricts with fear to see so many of them starting towards Kairi. She acts without thinking or hesitation, the fear in her chest transforming into... into something hard and firm, grabbing Kairi, struggling to lift her in her thin arms, and bolts for the castle. "What are they Nami?!"

"I don't know," breaths Namine, stumbling a bit before setting Kairi down, grabbing her hands, and running with her as the creatures keep coming for them. They run up the steps, and she sorely wishes she knew how to cast magic. She had been linked to Sora's memories, _yet she had never bothered to try to learn from them,_ and the child Sora currently alive definitely didn't know magic.

They finish climbing the steps, only to find more of the creatures there blocking the door to the castle, no one else in sight. Namine chokes a bit in fear, and Kairi lets out a shrill scream, "They're coming up the steps!"

She grabs Kairi and runs to a wall, pushing her against it, trembling and swallowing thickly. She stands protectively in front of Kairi."Stay away!"

One Kairi had given her a new life, another had taken her in, she wasn't going to let her get hurt!

The first Namine takes a step forward towards and boots it, kicking it away. The next two though scratch at her, clawing at and into her pants. She hisses and stumbles back onto her butt before the whole group leaps at her at once. "Nami!"

Namine raises her arms defensively, choking a bit in frustration and fear, then someone's voice rings out.

"No!"

**_SHING_**

Namine lowers her arms, her breathing hitches, as her eyes land on a blue-haired woman standing protectively in front of them... the recognizable form of a Keyblade in her hand...


	4. Keybearer

**Chapter 4: Keybearer**

* * *

The woman stands tall and firm, metallic blue and silver Keyblade held almost aloof downward at her side. Namine takes a moment to take her in, wide eyed and very confused by the mystery Keybearer. The woman is young, either leaving her teen years or just about to. She had blue eyes and blue hair down to her shoulder. She bore a black and navy blue, high-collared halter top, a black corset with two pairs of white laces and black shorts. There were two pink straps intersecting over her chest, with a very unsettingly familiar silver badge holding it together, Namine knows she's seen that badge somewhere before, but she's not sure where. On the woman's arms are white bell-sleeves and tan, fingerless gloves. She had a small, strange single piece of armor on each of her upper arms. She had black stockings reaching about halfway up her thighs, leaving a small patch of bare skin. There are two strips of blue cloth hanging down over her hips, along with a smaller, white strip of cloth tied around her waist in the same manner. Her silver boots are pointed and armored, with a sharp hook on the outer side of each.

Namine has never seen her before, she's sure of that, if someone else had who had been connected to Sora had, she doesn't know, she doesn't have access to those memories anymore, but... there was one thing that did tickle something. In her last prison, she had gone through Sora's memories of the defeat of the Organization, and what Xigbar had said...

_"You've really put Organization XIII in a pickle. I guess that must be why the Keyblade chose you. But MAN, did it pick a dud this time. You don't look like you're half the hero the others were."_

Maybe... maybe he hadn't been lying or trying to confuse Sora. Was... was this who he had meant? But wait, others implied plural, more than one... if so... where were they? Where had this woman been?

Kairi scrambles to her, hand grasping for the woman's in fearful response, resting on the Keyblade before the woman waves her back towards Namine.

"Take her and go, quickly!" comes the woman's sharp voice, "Fighting while protecting someone at the same time isn't something I have much experience in."

"R-right," stammers Namine, grabbing Kairi's hand, but taking a sharp breath when more of the creatures started to appear, effectively surrounding them.

"I can't fight like this," muttered the woman in frustration.

Dark fear scrapes along Namine's spine, warring with the hard and firm sensation in her chest to protect Kairi. She steels herself for a moment, before she desperately crushes the fear, "K-Kairi, when I move, get ready to run, okay? Run and don't look back no matter what you hear, o-okay?."

"Nami?"

Namine rushes to the side as the creatures start to swarm at the Keybearer, throwing herself at the nearest creatures and shoving it out of the way, then tackling another one. "RUN KAIRI!"

She catches a glimpse of the sandled feet running, Kairi sobbing as she fled, before the creatures swarm all over Namine, biting and scratching and dragging her to the ground. She screams in pain...

"GET OFF HER!" came a roar.

A barrier of translucent energy ripples off of Namine's body, throwing the creatures off. Then the Keybearer is standing directly over Namine, one foot in front of her, one foot behind, Keyblade held defensively, batting away the creatures leaping at them. She's pinned down and struggling trying to protect her... because Namine was to weak to do it herself... always a burden...

"I... I'm sorry," was all Namine could whisper.

The woman briefly glanced down at her, eyebrows furrowed. "There's nothing to be sorry about, what you did was very brave."

Namine swallows and looks away.

"Hiiiyaaaaa!"

Namine looks up in time to see- **_IS THAT MICKEY MOUSE?!_**

Her jaw drops to see the King flipping through the air, an unfamiliar blue and white Keyblade with yellow star teeth at its end, cleaving through the creatures. He lands on both feet like that acrobatics he just did were nothing before he turns and looks at the woman. "Hurry! Ya gotta get that girl to someplace that's safe."

The woman opens her mouth to speak, but its Namine that does, "Y-your majesty?!

Mickey startles. "Huh? How do you know..."

He reflexively turns and bats a monster leaping at him. "Talk later, get her out of here!"

"Right," says the woman, frowning at the mouse, and then at Namine, "You're not of this world, are you?"

Namine shrinks in on herself, swallowing. Oh no, she had forgotten all about it. About the World Order. They weren't supposed to know about other worlds...

The woman sighs and picks Namine up, booking it down the stairs, stopping to find Kairi hiding anxiously at the foot of the stairs. Aqua takes a few sharp looks around before setting Namine down next to her. "Nami! You're hurt!"

The Keybearer holds up her Keyblade and mutters, "Cure."

Namine takes in a sharp breath as the bites and scratches heal. "You two, stay here, don't go anywhere unless more of the Unversed come."

Un-what?

The woman doesn't stick around, rushing back up the steps to fight alongside the King. Namine doesn't pay attention to the sound of battle, instead, she curls up, bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. King Mickey and the Unknown Keybearer knew she wasn't from this world because of her big mouth. What kind of trouble was she going to be in? W...w-would they take her away? Throw her in some kind of prison... hurt her?

She lets out a soft gasp when Kairi's arms wrap around her, sniffling. "Nami? Awre you 'kay?"

Namine makes a choking sound and hugs Kairi back...

"Namine!"

She startles to hear and then see Aeleus rushing to them. He kneels down in front of her, eyes honing in on the scratch and bite marks that ripped through her clothes with open concern and barely withheld fury. "What happened?"

Kairi shakily pointed up the stairs when Namine couldn't respond. "Monsters tak'd us! But the lady and the mouse with keys hewp'd us and are fighting them!"

Aeleus nodded and reached to his belt for a radio. "Xaldin! To the palace gates now! The creatures are attacking, Namine and Kairi were caught in the crossfire, saved by unknown parties still fighting."

Xaldin's voice crackled through. "Understood."

Aeleus glances backward. "Squall, guard them!"

Namine looks past him briefly to see the young guard coming in behind, drawing his sword and nodded. "Got it. Go teach em' no one messes with the Guard's Wards."

Aeleus huffed and rushed up the stairs, drawing his mighty sword. Other guards swarm the area, and it doesn't last much longer before Aeleus calls down for Leon to bring them up. Namine's legs feel like jello, like shes going to buckle and fall with every step. Her heart beats fast, the hard and firm sensation in her chest is gone now, only icy fear remains. She's only just started to really settle in here... she... she doesn't...

The Keybearer and the King stand at an awkward stance, talking with a cluster of guards. The woman especially looks a little flustered and caged, not appearing to like being at the center of attention. Leon leads them closer... closer... closer...

"Thank you, miss Aqua, and mister Mouse" said Aeleus, "For stepping in and saving the young Wards. It was irresponsible of us not being aware of their wandering off and stationing someone to watch them. We owe you a deep debt of gratitude."

"I was, um... happy to help," answers Aqua bashfully.

"Gosh, we were glad to help!" says Mickey cheerfully, before he glanced over at Namine, "Though, I'm kind of curious how she knows 'bout me, I don't think we've met before, I'm not exactly from these parts."

Namine wilted at the look, fear trembling down her arms.

Mickey's look turns to concern, but takes a step back rather than forward as the entire guard shifts in response to Namine's fear. Some stepping protectivly closer to her, other hands warily trailing towards their weapons.

Aeleus takes a few steps to Namine and kneels down in front of her. "Namine? Are you alright?"

She swallows back her fear, trying, but failing to speak.

Aeleus's face clouds with something dark. "Is he one of the ones who hurt you?"

That gets her to speak, because as afraid of Mickey as she is at the moment, he is not evil. "No!"

"Then why are you afraid?" asked Aeleus.

"I'm... I'm not supposed to be here," whispered Namine, "And he knows it."

Aeleus's eyebrows furrow. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Gosh, this is about to get complicated, isn't it?" says Mickey, scratching the back of his head, "Ho boy!"

The woman, Aqua as Aeleus has called her, doesn't react to the World Order reference, instead, there is a flicker of anger in her eyes. "What did you mean 'one of the ones who hurt her'?"

Namine shrinks a bit, wishing Aeleus hadn't said anything. She doesn't... doesn't want more people to know about what... what happened than absolutely necessary.

"Leon, why don't you take them over there for a moment while we... talk," answered Aeleus.

Leon nods and nudges Kairi and Namine away. She drags her feet though...

"Young Namine appeared one day not long ago, according to young Kairi, in a flash of light," explained Aeleus, "She was taken in by Kairi and her grandmother, Lady Ame. However... Lady Ame had noted significant signs of physical and mental abuse to the young girl."

Aqua takes in a sharp breath. "Significant _how_?"

"I don't believe such personal details are yours to know."

"Unfortunately, it might be," rebutted Aqua.

"And you are going to have to explain that if you want me to elaborate."

Namine freezes then, as another voice, a terrifyingly familiar one, echoes out. "What is going on out here?"

Namine pales as DiZ steps out of the Castle, ice washing down her spine. Nonononononononononnoooooo...

"Nami?" comes Kairi's quiet, concerned voice.

"Lord Ansem," calls out Aeleus, "There has been a... situation."

Namine shakes as DiZ approaches Aeleus, gazing over the group, sizing up Aqua and Mickey, and then his eyes towards Namine and she completely locks up, feeling tears streaming down her face...

...and then it all breaks when _concern_, not contempt, comes across DiZ's face. "I take it that is young Namine, perhaps you should take a moment to see to her, Guardsman Aeleus, she looks very unsettled by whatever transpired."

Namine faces whiplash, blinking rapidly and shaking her head at DiZ's reaction... except its not DiZ, this isn't the mansion... its Ansem the Wise... and they're in Radiant Garden...

She falls to her knees, wincing briefly at hitting the bricks. Aeleus is there in a short moment, rubbing small circles on her back. "Shh young one, it will be okay, you are fine, you are safe."

Namine takes deep breaths, trying to get her emotions under control. Why was it so hard to do this? Why was it so hard to be a person? She swallows and forces her attention away, keeping her head down but her ear tilted towards the main group.

"Hmm," comes DiZ... Ansem's voice, "If someone could explain this to me?"

Mickey speaks first. "Lord Ansem, are you the... leader in these parts? If we could speak in private..."

"If by these parts, you mean this world, then yes," answers Ansem briskly.

Mickey winces. "Ah... that's..."

"These men are people I trust," answers Ansem, "Even with so grand a secret as that."

"Milord?" questioned Xaldin.

"I will explain in more detail later, if you would please start from the beginning...?"

"My names Mickey Mouse," said Mickey, holding up a hand to shake, "Nice to meet ya."

Ansem takes it and nods. "You as well."

"I'm sure you know about the Monsters all running around and causing trouble by now," says Mickey, waiting for Ansem to nod before continuing, "I was sent out to help try to get a handle of the situation by my teacher, as I'm sure miss Aqua was by hers."

Aqua nods.

"I've investigated a few worlds, this one the latest, and was trying to clean up a bunch of these things," continues Mickey, scowling a bit, "They don't have regard for anyone, child or otherwise. I came across Aqua trying to keep Namine safe and stepped in, and well... Namine recognized me."

Ansem hummed. "I had thought as much of her. The guard might believe that Namine had been kept bound and chained in a cellar somewhere in our world, but I was not so quick to disbelieve young Kairi's account of her appearance. I am to assume then she is from another world?"

"Probably... and I'm going to go outright and say I really don't like what you just hinted at," said Mickey, voice tight.

"I'm going to ask again," said Aqua firmly, "What was meant by '_extreme signs of abuse_'?"

Ansem frowned, rubbing his beard. "I've read the guard's reports myself, and find myself rather displeased. There were cut marks all over her back and in places not usually visible underneath her clothes. Aeleus believes she was molested, and the way she has been noted to talk about herself signifies extreme mental and emotional abuse."

Namine finds it hard to breath for a moment, her face burning in fear, shame, and frustration.

Aqua made a choking sound, face paling, then contorting with fury. "She's just a child!"

"Not all monsters of the world are shaped like the ones we just slew," spat Xaldin, "The names of the perpetrators she identified are Marluxia and Larxene, have either of you heard of them before?"

Both shake their heads, and Aqua takes it a step further, gritting out, "No, but I'll be keeping my ears and eyes open."

There is something there all of the sudden, that twinges at Namine's senses. Something like Riku, like Maleficent, like so many others, brought out by her fury. For a moment, Namine thought she saw something purple about Aqua, but then its gone so fast she thinks she might have imagined it.

"I was never going to say anything on the matter of my suspicions of her origins unless I was forced to, but, I take it there are rules and regulations on what is and is not allowed between worlds?" posed Ansem.

Mickey nodded. "Yeah, there are, and exceptions in what we do about that is really small."

"Surely you would not send her back?" stressed Ansem.

"Light no!" exclaimed Aqua.

"That's the normal requirement," muttered Mickey in a halfhearted counter, "To send people back and seal the way over if possible. Some people we let off the hook if their intentions are pure and they're not trying to meddle, but usually those people don't stay in other worlds that long, wanderlust more than anything else. Permanent settlement is... an icky subject, because its someone who isn't naturally there who will stay for the rest of their lives and potentially change the course of a world and the events there in a way they weren't meant to."

Ansem takes in a breath and slowly lets it out. "I understand what you are saying, Mickey, but if you attempt to take Namine from here by force, none of the guards would allow it, and I do not wish for an extra-worldly conflict to occur under my rule."

"I don't think I really want to," admitted Mickey glumly, "What happened to her isn't right in any world."

"Perhaps," said Aqua firmly, "I could talk to her first? Trying to make a decision without all the facts, and her input on them, is unwise."

Ansem hums in response. "If she is up for it."

Aqua separates from the group and regards Aeleus briefly, "If we could have some privacy for a moment?"

Aeleus grumbles a little but withdraws his hand from Namine's back and steps away, gently prying Kairi's hands off Namine and taking the scowling girl away. "You better be nice to Nami!"

"I have no intention of hurting her," answers back Aqua.

"Leon," calls out Aeleus as he moves, "Please take Kairi to Lady Ame in the library and inform her of what has transpired."

Leon nods, and frog marches Kairi into the castle. Namine watches her original self go, heart constricting and feeling _alone-alone-alone_.

Aqua sits down in front of Namine, her voice is very soft, and very gentle, "Hello Namine, my name is Aqua."

Namine's eyes flicker up to meet her. The woman's eyes are tight with anger, but its not directed at her, at her, there is only kindness and sadness mixed together. "Hello..."

"Do you know of the World Order, Namine?" asked Aqua softly.

"They're not supposed to know about one another," she answered, "I haven't said..."

"I figured," cut in Aqua gently, "But your presence here is still a disruption to the natural state of this world."

Namine's shoulder's slumped. "I... I have no where else to go."

"Light, Namine, I'm not saying I'd send you back to wherever your homeworld is, I wouldn't send you back to those who'd abuse you," said Aqua sternly.

"A Nobody doesn't have a right to _be_," muttered Namine, "A _thing_ can't be abused..."

There was a very sharp intake of breath, Aqua's calm composure broke, and she looked like she was about to either cry or go murder someone, her voice cracking a bit, "Namine, you are not a _thing_, you are a _person_."

Namine just bowed her head and didn't reply.

"Light above," whispered Aqua hoarsely, taking in a breath, "Namine, what world are you from?"

"I... I don't know," she answers.

Does being born in Castle Oblivion count as a world of origin? What was the name the castle even resided in? Or did she technically owe Radiant Garden being her homeworld since Kairi was born here?

Aqua's lips purse. "I'm not going to send you back, but we need to know how you got here."

Namine tenses, and that firm and hard sensation fills her again. "_She_ saved me. She sent me away to _save_ me. I'm not telling you anything that would get her in trouble."

She doesn't even know how that would work. Kairi is so young here, even if her older self had broken rules about the worlds (_and maybe about time if there are any rules about that_), could she be held responsible? How would someone even seal that ability? Would it hurt Kairi? Over her dead body is the answer. And what about Kingdom Hearts having a hand in it? Namine has the very intense notion that she needs to keep her mouth shut.

Aqua studies her for a long moment, concern warring with duty. "I see."

Aqua considers her before speaking, "Is this something this 'She' would do often?"

"Its the only time it ever happened," murmurs Namine, eyes drooping, "She wrapped me in light and... and I was free."

Something in Aqua's shoulders loosened at that. "So it was an act of light then, alright. Okay. Good. I can live with that so long as it doesn't end up being abused."

There is silence for a long moment before Aqua speaks again, "You know Namine, I said it before, I'll say it again, what you did was very brave, to help Kairi run."

Namine shrugged. "She took me in. If I had to die to keep her safe, that's... that's o-okay."

A hand gently cups her chin and tilts her head up, studying her intently, and Namine feels... feels the stirring of some kind of magic, and of light. "Your heart holds shadows and scars, but despite this its filled with such care and light, because you mean that, not just in a defeated way, you would care enough about her to readily give your life in her defense, to stand against the dark even if you are afraid. If given the chance to heal and shine, I wonder... would you be special enough?"

Namine blinks at her, confused.

Aqua's hand falls down her neck to rest on Namine's collar bone. "Beyond that, there is something strange about your heart."

Namine half-tenses, half-shrinks on herself.

Aqua pulls her hand back and regards Namine for a moment, thinking, before asking, "Is it alright if I ask you some... personal questions? I wont ask them lightly, but they are important."

Namine's voice is quiet. "...okay."

"What are you most afraid of, young one?"

There is something about that tone, that reminds her of her last brief conversation with her older true self, and she finds that she can't lie. "Being alone."

She swallows. "Always alone."

"It sounds like a fear you have experience with. Why are you alone?" asks Aqua gently.

There were so many reasons she could give. "Because I'm a witch."

"And more often than not, those with magic are persecuted," said Aqua, sighing, "I'm sorry you've had to experience that."

Namine scoffed bitterly as the burning sensation from days ago returns to her. "Persecuted? I _wish_ that was it. They don't persecute me, they _use me_, use my power to hurt others."

She bowed her head. "I don't want to hurt people..."

There was an edge to Aqua's voice. "Those who use special children like tools and weapons are _despicable_."

Its there again, that sensation, Aqua's anger bubbling dangerously close to the surface, and this time Namine knows she saw a flicker of purple, and black, but its so fast before its gone and smothered, almost instinctively. She's not sure Aqua knows or recognizes what happened. The woman is filled with light, but Namine... Namine brings out something dark and ugly from her...

Aqua composes herself and asks her next question. "What do you want out of life, young one?"

Namine found herself repeating what she said to the older Kairi, and feeling strangely offbalanced by the echoing between then and now. "To not be alone, I... want to have the chance to help people when it really matters, not be forced to hurt them."

Aqua nodded with approval, but the sadness in her eyes deepens. "That is a good desire, Namine, I only wish it hadn't been born in counter of such suffering."

Namine says nothing, hands clenching on her pant legs.

Aqua lets out a soft breath. "What is most important to you?"

Namine blinks up at her. Beyond the repetition between Kairi and Aqua... there is something oddly familiar about this, tickling a vague memory briefly connected to Sora that she can't access anymore. "What.. is the difference between that and the last question?"

Aqua smiles. "Look deep in your heart, and you'll know the difference, and the answer."

Namine swallows and bows her head, closing her eyes. She's hardly had a heart long enough to know how to search it. But...

She thinks of Kairi. Of Sora. Of Roxas. Of Ame. Of all the guards who look out for her...

"Those I care for," answers Namine softly, "I'd give anything to protect them."

Something seems to solidify in Aqua's eyes. "After risking yourself for Kairi, I thought as much."

"Ho boy," murmurs Aqua, "The Master is going to pitch a fit, but... I think this is the right thing to do, even if its so soon after my Mark of Mastery. It also answers the World Order problem, and I think... you are special enough. Hurt beyond belief, but so pure, so strong when it matters despite the pain and doubts. I think you have what it takes, Namine."

"I don't... understand," stammered Namine.

Aqua moves to stand, summoning her Keyblade, and for a moment, Namine is afraid, but then Aqua reverses her grip on her Keyblade, holding down the handle towards her. "In your hand, take this Key. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, it's wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend—no ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

Namine's breathing hitched, her eyes going wide. Was... was Aqua... she doing what Namine thought she was doing...?

She stares at the handle in disbelief. "I..."

"The choice is yours, Namine," says Aqua softly, "I cannot make you accept this. I am a whats known as Keybearer, it is my role and responsibility to keep the world and its peoples safe. Its a hard, but rewarding life. You might not be able to stay long or often in the lives of those you cherish, but you will have the power to defend them from the creatures like the Unversed, from the darkness, from that which unbalances the worlds, to watch over them from afar as a silent guardian."

Something in Namine settles at that. There was always the fear of being a burden, making people change their lives to suit hers because of her weakness... but... if she could become strong enough to protect them instead... not interfering, but being there when they needed her... she doesn't think she's worthy of this... but... if she can save people she cares about... maybe even prevent this world from falling, Aeleus and the others from losing their hearts and being twisted into Nobodies...

This... this is everything she asked for. This is what Kingdom Hearts granted her. To make her desire a reality.

Her hand slowly and shakily reached up and grasped the Keyblade and... and _something_ surged inside of her. She jolted slightly, shocked that she actually felt it, knowing and fearing what it meant; Aqua smiled. "Its done."

Again, Namine stares at Aqua, at her Keyblade, the notion of being a Keybearer as a profession echoing in her mind, and wonders _what happened to Aqua_? Mickey knew her, but had never, not once, mentioned her to Sora or anyone connected to him. Why? Was... was she dead in their time? There is no way Aqua wouldn't have interfered and tried to fight Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, nor would she have stayed out of the Organization business. Namine knows missing important information, she knows this.

Namine lets go of the Keyblade and settles her hands on her lap. "What... happens now?"

"Now, apprentice," says Aqua with a soft smile, "I think we need to go talk to your caretakers."

Something in Namine flutters. _Apprentice_. The realness of what happens rears up and slaps her in the face. She blinks rapidly, breathing hitching for a moment. That its actually happening. This isn't a dream. One moment she had been running from monsters with Kairi, the next... the next she's... she's been _chosen_... chosen by someone... _wanted_... she wants to buckle to the ground at the notion, but forces herself not to. She's been chosen to be a Keybearer, and she can't even try to deny it. She felt it, the moment she touched the Keyblade, something in her heart had stirred...

Aqua held out a hand, and Namine took it, feeling the warmth of the woman's gentle grip. Her presence is soothing, and she can't help but think Aqua would have gotten along with everyone in her time. It fills her with an ache though, this woman's barely met her, yet suddenly cares so much, like Kairi, like Ame, like all the guards. Yet she's gone, shes dead, in Namine's time.

Not if she can help it.

She grips Aqua's hand a little tighter, and walks back with her towards the others...

* * *

_**Author's Note**:_

_Counterpoint, Aqua is here far longer than before, leaving Ven and Terra to a 2v1 against the Trinity Armor for the time being. Ut oh..._

_Next chapter: tearful farewells, Roxas and Xemnas look alikes, and our first meeting with Vanitas, in which, Namine completely fucks the timeline from cannon._

_So, oodles of fun._


	5. First Meetings

**Chapter 5: First Meetings**

* * *

"No! No! No! You can't take Nami 'way!"

Namine's stomach twisted at the distress and tears all over Kairi's face. "She's my Nami!"

Aqua bit her lip. "Kairi..."

"Mr. Allus!" cried out Kairi, "She's gonna take Nami away! Make her go away!"

Aeleus sighed softly from the doorway. "Child, if Namine wishes to go, I cannot make her stay."

Kairi's voice makes Namine ache so much. "Nami... don't go pwease..."

The ache is twofold. One, because she doesn't want to make Kairi sad, and part of her doesn't want to leave. Two... two is the memory of being in a prison of Kairi's unintentional making, of being trapped inside her, and this, in a dark part of her mind, reminds her of that, of being bound to Kairi again. She knows the thought is beyond unfair to her, Kairi is a little girl, she doesn't want to lose her friend, her only friend... because Namine hadn't been blind to notice that not once had Kairi played with any other child here, even if she hasn't figured out _why_. She is so kind and sweet, so why is Kairi isolated from any other children?

She pushes the thought aside and moves to sit next to Kairi on a couch in the foyer of the Castle. "Kairi..."

She knows better than to mention the World Order, a four year old wont understand nor care about that, but if she used what just happened... "The monsters that attacked us, I'm leaving to get strong enough to stop them and anything like them."

"But... Gamma says yowr all huwrt inside," said Kairi, sniffling, "I wanna keep Nami safe n make you better."

Namine closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath before opening them and moving to wrap her true self in a hug. "You already have, Kairi, you already have."

Namine separated, but held Kairi's hands in her own. "You... you were the first who really showed me people could care about me."

She had set her free from her prison, and sent her here to have her own life. Kairi had known her for what she was, a Nobody, a thing, an abomination, yet still helped... Sora had helped in Castle Oblivion... but he hadn't known all of what she was. Would he still have helped? Maybe... probably... but Kairi was still the first.

Kairi blushed a little. "And Gamma."

Namine giggled, looking at Lady Ame in appreciation, the woman returning a smile. "Yes, you and Gamma."

"I don't wan you to go," whined Kairi.

"She will be able to visit from time to time," offered Aqua quietly.

Kairi glared at her.

"Kairi," said her grandmother softly, "Don't be ru..."

The sound of pounding feet echoed down the hallway. "Aeleus! The refinery is on fire!"

They all turned to the sight of Xaldin, face red with exertion from sprinting, "There are reports of a man and a boy with keys fighting a giant monster."

Aqua suckered in a sharp breath, rushing for the doorway and shoving past the guards. "Terra! Ven!"

More keybearers?

Then she actually registered the words, her face paling with fear. Aqua wasn't alive in her time, did she die here?!

Aeleus and Dilan rushed after Aqua, and Namine only hesitated a moment before going after them, heart pounding in concern and fear.

"Namine, wait!"

Namine doesn't listen to Lady Ame, running down the hallway struggling to keep the guards in her sight. Aqua is already long out of sight by the time she's left the castle huffing and puffing. She's got a long way to go if she ever wants to use a Keyblade if running for a little bit puts her out of breath. She considers herself lucky Aqua and the Guards clear any Unversed in the way, or she'd be a sitting duck. She loses sight of Aqua quickly, wow, she can move _fast_. By the time she sees the refinery come into view, the smell of smoke is clogging her nose, several nearby buildings are on fire...

Namine yelps and stumbles to her knees when a massive beam of energy blows out of the refinery, clipping a building's roof and blowing part of it away. Namine makes a fearful choking sound. She steels herself and rushes towards the entrance, finding Aeleus and Dilan standing tensely.

"I hate to say it friend," mutters Dilan, "But I don't think we can handle this."

Aeleus nods firmly. "Leave it to the Keybearers, move to support only if absolutely necessary."

"Terra! Ven!" Namine hears Aqua cry out as she rushes in.

Then Namine closes the distance, standing behind the guards, and a choking sound escapes her lips when she sees _Xemnas_ and _Roxas_ fighting a gigantic humanoid Unversed that reminds her of a Guard Armor heartless.

"Namine!" exclaims Aeleus, "What are you doing here?"

She pays them no attention, staring wide eyed at the combatants. Xemnas isn't dressed in his signature cloak, nor is his hair silver, but she recognizes that powerful form, she recognizes that face, the hair is shorter, but still the same shape. Roxas... Roxas is wearing clothes like his birth clothes, but the Keyblade in his hand is completely different... and held backwards? How can he be here? Did... did Sora set him free too? If she reaches out with her powers and examines his Chains of Memories maybe she can figure...

Her eyes widen further. He's not Roxas.

She feels it _instantly_.

The thing is, she can still feel him, can still touch his Chains of Memories. Whoever he is, he is still connected to Sora, but he looks just like Roxas! Whats going on?

Xemnas glances at Aqua briefly, he's bruised, torched a bit, with a few rips along his clothes. "Good to see you Aqua, mind its fists and watch out for its lasers!"

"Right!" she calls back, rushing into the fight and launching lightning from the tip of her Keyblade at the monster.

Xemnas's voice is... very different oddly enough. Far less deep, full of seriousness, yet kindness. She takes a moment to look him over. Brown hair that went up in a sort of spiky way, but not as much as Sora's. His skin is a little tanned. His chest is covered in a skintight black high-collared shirt. He had a red X over his shirt, almost like suspenders. One of his arms below the elbow is are except for a black wrist band, the other has a kind of extended gauntlet that goes down to his elbow. He has a kind of black sash with some kind of badge as it's connected. The badge is the same somewhat familiar kind that Aqua has, its like a cross but the top part went into another shape. He has a hakama connecting to tan pants covering his lower half. He has armored and pointed boots.

"Ha!" says Not-Roxas, wheezing a bit, "This thing can barely keep up with the two of us, it doesn't stand a chance against all of us together!"

Then the Unversed backhands Not-Roxas with a giant hand and sends him flying.

"Ven!" "Ven!" cry out Xemnas and Aqua.

Namine curls her fists, fingernails digging in out of concern and worry. So his name is Ven? That would make Xemnas... Terra? Wait... Xemnas was the Nobody name of Ansem's amnesiac apprentice Xehanort who stole his name. So Xemnas... Xehanort... was an amnesiac Keybearer named Terra? How had it turned out like it had?

Her thoughts trail off into a sense of awe as she watches the three fight. Aqua tosses Ven a cure, and the three of them pincer the giant Unversed. Terra rains heavy brutal blows, Ven darts in and out with rapid strikes stabs and slashes. Aqua rains magic from afar before cartwheeling in and surging forward wrapped in magic, mixing physical combat with her power. There is a sense of teamwork between the three, covering for one another and casting cure if they fall under the brunt of the monster's focus. Taking advantage of openings created. Its amazing, its powerful... its...

_Its inhuman_.

Namine swallows and tries to still her fear. She knows she has nothing to fear from them, if those two are Aqua's friends, then they won't hurt her, and Terra isn't Xemnas _yet_. But... it doesn't ignore how _unreal_ it is to witness a Keybearer, let alone three of them, fight at once. She'd never been able to feel real fear (_Maybe? It... felt a lot like the fake fear she thought she'd felt_) before she became a real person. If she could re-live the memories of Sora's most intense battles, would she feel that fear directed at him?

The monster had already been wounded, and Namine smiles with relief when it falls apart into pieces... that keep moving! What?

She yelps when Aeleus grabs her, lifts her up, grabs Dilan's arm, and pulls them out of the way as the monster's pieces start bounding around and shooting laser bolts everywhere. He shelters her, heavy arms wrapped protectively as lasers blow past the corner. He doesn't move, doesn't let her free to watch and see if Aqua is alright. The fighting goes on for a few more awful minutes, each cry of pain or explosion of energy sends a spike of absolute terror through her, and she wishes so badly she already knew how to fight so she could help.

Standing aside while someone she cared about was fighting in a life and death situation was _awful_.

"We did it! HA!" came Ven's tired cheer.

Namine collapses to her knees, a relieved breath escaping her lips.

Aeleus glances down at her for a moment before he shakes his head. "I suppose we should see if we can offer them any after-battle assistance, have any potions on you Dilan?"

"A few."

Aeleus helps her up, and they walk out to see Ven on his knees, huffing and puffing. Terra's hands are on his own knees, bending over to catch his breath. Aqua is wiping off her forehead, late to the fight, but still tired by it. She briefly casts ice and water over the area to put out fires before she walks over to Ven and starts fretting over him, poking at his injuries.

"C'mon Aqua! Really, I'm fine-oww oww oww not there!"

Aqua gives him a dubious look. "And you Terra?"

"I know better than to try to lie to _mom_," teases Terra.

Aqua huffs and gives him a mock glare.

"We have some potions to offer you and your comrades, Lady Aqua," calls out Dilan.

Aqua turns and then freezes when she sees Namine, fear, and then anger on her face. "Namine?! What are you doing out here! You could have gotten hurt!"

Namine shrinks a bit. "I... I was worried..."

Aqua closes her eyes, stressed. "I've been training to do this all my life Namine."

Terra grins "Made a friend, Aqua?"

At that, Aqua hesitated, face going passive and uncertain. Dilan merely shakes his head, walks over, and distributes the potions. Namine sheepishly walks up to Aqua. "Sorry..."

Aqua sighs and ruffles her hair. "It's alright, but from now on... well... I don't exactly plan for you to be anywhere near anything dangerous until your training is even close to complete."

"Training...?" poses Terra quietly before he takes a step towards Namine, peering down at her closely, his hand starting forward, "I feel..."

Namine takes a reflexive step back, foolish fear overtaking her that she can't help, he's not Xemnas, but he's still...

"Terra," cuts in Aqua quietly, but firmly, hand reaching out to lay on his arm, "She's..."

"Your apprentice," he breaths in surprise, eyes going wide, delight spreading across his face, "I feel it, you chose her! You found an apprentice already?!"

"Woah, no way!" exclaims Ven excitedly, rushing over to them, stopping a little bit away and grinning at Namine, "Hi! I'm Ven!"

"I'm Terra," the man offers with a silly smile.

They're so kind, but so overwhelming, all three Keybeaers to her front, the guards to her back. She tries to respond, but all she gets is a flushed face and unsteady breathing. She feels boxed in. Then their faces turn to concern, and she feels embarrassed. She finds herself frustrated with herself once more, wondering again why its hard to do basic things real people do?

"A bit of space please," ordered Aqua.

"Little shy huh," teased Ven lightly, but took a few steps back all the same, Terra doing the same.

Aqua knelt down in front of Namine and spoke softly, "These are my friends, Terra and Ven, I've known Ven for years, and Terra even longer since I started my own training, I'd trust both of them with my life."

Namine nods shakily. "I... I can tell they're your friends... just..."

"Don't worry, they won't hurt you like... they'd protect you from anyone who would," corrects Aqua before adopting a teasing tone, "They can be a little overwhelming at times though, being boys that like to show off and all."

"Hey!"

Terra laughed a little, but he's giving Namine a more studious look now, a hint of a frown on his face, "Aqua, word please?"

Aqua steeled herself, rising to her feet. "Have you said your goodbyes to your friends here yet, Namine? You should do so before you leave."

She doesn't wait for a response, turning to walk away with Terra. Ven isn't smiling now, a little worried as he looks back and forth between his friends. Namine just stares at the ground, she already can tell what Terra is about to question.

They are a bit away when Terra speaks in a low voice, but Namine's always been good at listening and hearing things she wasn't supposed to from the Organization. "Aqua, whats wrong with her?"

"There's nothing wrong with her," Aqua bites back.

"I didn't mean it like that," said Terra, "But she's far to afraid of _us_ for no reason."

Aqua looked away for a long moment. "Child abuse."

Terra takes in a sharp breath, a soft curse escaping his lips, fists curling, anger on his face. Ven brings a hand up to his mouth, stuttering a bit before glancing at Namine quickly and looking away.

Aeleus tugs gently on Namine's shoulder. "Come Namine, the rest of the guard would like to give their goodies."

He calls over to Aqua, "I will bring Namine to the central square for when your business here is concluded."

Aqua nods at her, eyes lingering protectively over Namine, before turning back to Terra and speaking in low tones. "I'm sorry to leave you to this alone, Terra, but I have to take her back home, her and Ven."

"Hey! I don't want to go back yet, I've been out here helping...," Ven begins to counter before Namine is out of hearing range.

"Is it always going to hang over me?" Namine asks quietly, staring down at the ground as they walk.

Was she always going to have people talking quietly about her '_past_' around her?

Aeleus sighed softly. "For a time, it will, but once you've had a chance to find your footing and step into your own path, it is my hope that it will become nothing but a distant unpleasant memory."

He paused to reach down and tilt her chin up. "It is my hope that one day, years from now, when you are trained as your teacher is, you'll return here. I look forward to meeting the woman you become."

Namine flushes a little, but nods. "I'll come back."

She smiles a little despite how her words spark a groundless and foolish fear. "Kairi would probably find a way to come drag me back if I didn't visit."

Aeleus chuckles softly. "I'm sure she would, she is quite fond."

"Look after her?"

"Of course young one. Of course..."

* * *

Namine sits on a bench in the central square as Aeleus patrols the area nearby, tearful goodbyes said, feeling drained by it all. Today had been... intense.

"Huh, so you're the new fresh meat then?"

She startles and looks up at... "Riku?"

A boy stands in front of her, in a black and red version of Riku's dark bodysuit. The primary difference being the lack of a heartless-like emblem, and the pitch black helmet the boy has. He is... much more imposing, and Namine can't help but tense around him. She can feel darkness emanating off him.

The boy crosses his arm and leans down at her, Namine can practically feel the sneer. "My name is _Vanitas_, not Riku! Whoever that loser is."

She shrinks back as much as she can against the bench, and the boy snorts, pulling back. "Just another light-filled weakling. I bet you can't even summon a Keyblade yet."

She flushes a bit. "I... Miss Aqua just barely chose me!"

She had been chosen, _wanted_, she's not going to let someone demean that!

Vanitas laughs and flicks his wrist, Namine's eyes go wide when a dark silvery and red/black Keyblade appears in his hands. "I could summon mine _instantly_. Guess you've got a lot of catching up to do, _little girl_. If you manage to even live that long."

Namine flushes further before she worked up the nerve to glare at him...

Then the teeth of his keyblade are underneath her chin against her neck. "Careful there girly, pissing me off could be the last thing you do."

Black fear pulses through her, and she's so tired of it. Being afraid. She grits her teeth, hopes Aeleus or Aqua is nearby if she's about to get herself killed, and tries to be brave. "You're hardly scary for a guy wearing a _skirt_."

The Keyblade falls away and he starts sputtering. "H-hey! Its a mini-cape, not a skirt!"

She glances down at it, and then back it him, eyebrow raised.

He huffs. "Skirt or not, I'd wear it better than _you_ would."

"So you admit its a skirt then?"

"That's not what I said!"

"I think it is."

"Shut UP!"

The smile that had been forming falls off and she swallows thickly at the sight of his grip tightening on his keyblade. "You run your mouth for someone I could break in half like a twig."

A snicker escaped his helmet. "Actually, a twig would probably be harder to break than you are."

Namine flushes in frustration. "That's... I..."

"Admit it, you're a weakling."

"At least I'm not mean!"

"Waaaa, waaaa, she called me mean, boo hoo."

There is a fire starting to burn in her chest, and before she thinks twice, she gets up right in his space and stomps on his foot. He glances down at his foot, his helmet almost colliding with her head, then he looks back up, throws his head back, and howls with laughter. "Was that supposed to _hurt_?"

She yelps when he grabs his arm and throws her to the side, she lands on the pavement and cringes. "Oh, look at the little girl about to bawl."

She scrambles to her feet, but rather than doing the intelligent thing and running, she balls her fists and yells at him, "Why are you being mean? What have I done to you?"

Malice coats his voice. "_You exist_."

Namine takes a step back, paling.

He flexes his grip on his Keyblade. "The Master says killing the fresh meat should cause a lot of chaos and trouble that he can take advantage of, but personally, I don't care about that. What I care about is how a weakling like you gets chosen out of blue for failing to protect a little girl and getting clobbered, while I..."

He cuts of and snarled, taking a step forward, a black aura coating him. Namine takes a step back in response, feeling the icey-hot rage through the air, a prickle along her skin, in the back of her mind...

Wait...

Her mind?!

She stretches out and is shocked when she feels his Chains of Memories, he's connected to Sora! Except... there's something wrong with his Chain. Its... broken? Corroded? Like there's chunks of it missing... no, not missing, like they were ripped away. What... what is this? She's never felt anything like it. Even when she was working on Sora and Roxas and... and... just those two, it had never felt like that.

"A weak, pathetic, little brat like you, whole, chosen and cherished," he spits out, bitterness coating thickly, "While I get to be incomplete, fighting to be whole while stuck with the master. You don't deserve it!"

He hefts his Keyblade with lethal intent, but black fear for her upcoming death isn't there, its instead incredulousness, rage exploding within her. "Whole? You want to be _whole_?"

Is he some kind of Nobody? Is that why he feels all weird? "You think being whole is _good_?"

He hesitates. "What? Of course it is!"

She can't control the emotions erupting inside of her. She can't keep the rage and the pain out of her voice, nor the sneer off her face. "I thought that too, I used to be nothing, a shadow of my true self, then I went back to her, and it was nothing but a prison watching someone else's life trapped within them. You thinking being whole is what you want? You're wrong. How about I show you what it feels like!"

She aims a hand at him, taps into his Chain of Memories, and shoves it down his throat. She forces upon him the isolation, the loneliness, the suffocating sensation of being trapped inside of Kairi unable to move, someone else's emotions smothering her, watching someone else live their life while she was trapped, the sensation of knowing there was no escape until her true self died, the envy and jealousy, the desire to live, the desire to die and be free, all of it she presses upon him.

Vanitas _screams_.

He screams in horror and fear and denial. "NO! NO NO NO NO!"

He claws at his helmet and throws it off, falling to his knees and taking in deep ragged breaths and...

_He looks just like Sora._

He pukes black ichor that fades into the ground before staggering to his feet. "I don't want this!"

He forms a Dark Corridor and bolts through it, leaving Namine suddenly all alone. She stares at the spot her ran through for a very long moment, blinking slowly.

That... had that really just happened?

She slowly walked back over to the bench and sat down, feeling incredibly drained, her head drooping. Her arms are trembling, breathing ragged. She stares aimlessly at the ground for a time. She just wants to go home and sleep. Except shes not going home, shes going with Aqua to... somewhere. Going with a woman she knows next to nothing about, to an unknown location, who could be acting nice for all she knows...

"Namine?"

The voice is gentle, she looks up and see's Aqua staring down at her, nothing but kindness and concern in her eyes. Namine swallows back her mindless fear. "I'm tired..."

Aqua gives her a soft smile. "It's been a big day for you. I'll take you and Ven home, introduce you to my Master, and get you to bed."

"Your Master?"

Aqua pauses to reflect. "I mean... we're both Keyblade Masters, I don't have to call him that anymore, but that would be _weird_. He's been that for years."

"Is... is he nice?" Namine asked quietly.

"Yeah he is!" comes Ven's voice, peaking around Aqua's side, "He's smart and kind, well, so long as you don't break the rules."

"Then you get chores," said Aqua, giving Ven a pointed look, "Like Ven's going to get for the next _year_ for running off on his own."

Ven winces. "Ah... I was worried about Terra!"

"You can argue you that with Master Eraqus then," Aqua answered smoothly, "Now c'mon, lets go home."

Aqua summons her Keyblade and throws it into the air and...

Namine's eyes go wide as it transforms into a kind of vehicle. "Keyblades can _do_ that?!"

"Yep," said Aqua, grinning, before she slapped a button on her arm armor and, in a flash of light, was surrounded in blue armor. "Woah..."

What... what was all of this? Keyblade Vehicles? Armor transformations? Just how much had Sora been missing? Or perhaps... how much had been lost after these three and their master died? Because none of them except Terra, kind of, existed from when she was from. There was this weird look alike thing with Roxas and Ven, she didn't have an explanation for that, but she knew they weren't the same person. Roxas had come from Sora after all. Its all so confusing...

She wonders briefly if the dark boy had any involvement in it. She's too tired to think on it... and he seemed... like he was lashing out more than anything. Something was wrong with him, hurt and broken in him. So she decided to keep it to herself for now, maybe she could find a way to help. Riku had only needed someone to show him the way back after all, even if he had caused all kinds messes along the way.

Aqua moves to sit on her glider. "Come Namine, I'll keep you in a barrier for the trip so the darkness of the Lanes Between doesn't touch you."

Namine walks over, and Aqua, to her surprise, flicks a finger and levitates Namine onto her lap. It probably would have hurt to be grabbed by armor, her skin isn't toughened at all. That was... thoughtful of Aqua. A translucent barrier surrounds Namine, cushioning her from rubbing against Aqua's armor. She smiles up at Aqua, not quit sure if the woman sees it. She settles her barrier covered back against the armor as Aqua takes to the sky, a brief bright gate appearing that she goes through...

A gasp of wonder escapes Namine's lips as they leave the world. The Lanes Between are... beautiful. So many stars and swirling glowing dust. Closer worlds off in the distance. Her head turns this way and that, drinking in the sight. Ven pulls up next to them on a kind of hoverboard, coated in his own armor, before he gives her a thumbs up. He shoots off, and she starts giggling when he does a hand stand on his board, showing off. Aqua shakes her head, and Namine imagines she's huffing with amusement.

Namine's eyes widen as they approach one world in particular. A marble white and golden castle-like structure floating on clouds, giant chains attaching it to two close mountain peaks. The castle connects to a flat area and to a nearby mountain with a summit. Namine takes it all in as Aqua moves to set down her Keyblade Vehicle along with Ven, dismissing her armor and the barrier around Namine. The doors to the castle open as they touch down, and out of it strides a man.

The was older, Namine wasn't quite a judge of age, but perhaps around Aeleus's age. She has to scramble through her memories to try and identify his clothing. He had a white, red lined haori with a hood over a blue shirt with a white X on it. Connecting the two halves of his clothes was a bit of armor, along with a symbol on it that she recognized from Aqua's clothes, the one that connected her pink stripes. His bottom half was a white, or a very light tanned hakama, his armored boots sticking out from underneath it. His black hair was tied in a short topknot, with one bang hanging close to his eye. And speaking of his black eyes, or rather, eye, he had a scar going over but not hitting his right eye. His face was hardened, a mustache and small patch of hair above his chin.

Namine swallowed a bit, this had to be Master Eraqus, he looked a little intimidating...

Ven slaps his armor and dismisses it as Eraqus approach. "Uh... hey Master..."

Eraqus kneels down, grabs Ven's shoulders, and pulls him into a tight hug. "Ventus, do not ever scare me like that again! You are not yet fully trained, you don't belong in the outside world yet, you could have been grievously injured going off on your own!"

Ven, or well, she guesses that had been short nickname for him, flushes. "Ah c'mon, it wasn't that bad! I figured out how to cast cure pretty quick, and Aqua healed me after that giant monster hit me..."

"Giant _what_?!" exclaims Eraqus, pulling back and giving Ventus a stern look.

"Uh... Unversed come in big sizes?" he says sheepishly.

A pinched look crossed the man's face, and he squints more at Ventus's clothing, definitely looking over the roughed over cuts. "I see."

"Ventus."

"Y-yes?"

"You are grounded for the next year."

"Ah come on!"

"Do you want it to be two?"

"No..."

Aqua giggled a bit. "Go a bit easy on him Master, he did good out there."

"I'm sure he did," said Eraqus dismissively, "It doesn't ignore..."

"He saved a Princess of Heart whose heart had been stolen."

Eraqus goes immediately silent, staring at Ventus, both eyebrows climbing to the top in astonishment.

Ventus turns beat red. "Well... I... I mean any of us would have!"

A wide and pleased smile crosses Eraqus's face. "Well... I'll have to ask for the circumstances later, but I suppose you can be grounded for half a year then for such exemplary work."

Ventus groaned.

"I can make it back to a full year if you so wish."

"No no no! Half a year is good!"

"I'm pleased you agree."

Namine couldn't help it, she started giggling at that.

Eraqus pauses before his head turns to actually look at Aqua, then at Namine sitting in her lap. Namine's giggle fade, and she goes very uncomfortably still under the intensity of the man's gaze, shrinking a little. Aqua slowly gets up, picking Namine up and setting her down off the vehicle before it vanishes. Aqua grips Namine's hand in her own before she clears her throat in a loud, slow bulb.

"Master Eraqus, I would like to introduce you to my apprentice, Namine."

There is a soft intake of breath from the man, and for a moment, there is an air of disbelieving wonder about him before he stands up, his face slowly turning into a calm, cooled mask, eyes calculating and judging, whatever he had been feeling pushed aside. "It is unexpected for you to find one worthy of the Keyblade so _soon_ after becoming a Master."

There is a tension coming off Aqua all the sudden. It takes Namine a few moments to recognize Eraqus is calling Aqua's judgement into question. At first, it puts fire into Namine's stomach, but... there is no hostility or malice or anything like that in the mans eyes or tone. He's posing the question, and expecting Aqua to defend her choice, to defend Namine. He... he wants her to be able to. Its a test.

"The first action I saw her do was to nearly sacrifice herself to save a young child, despite being weaponless and untrained," said Aqua, pride and challenge in her voice.

There is a brief twitch of Eraqus's mouth, as if he wanted to smile, but held it back. "I see, but one act of valor does not make a Keybearer."

"I asked her a set of questions, per protocol that you taught us," continued Aqua, "And found her answers well said, heartfelt, and becoming of her."

Eraqus hummed. "Which questions were asked?"

"Fear, desire, and importance."

Eraqus nods slowly. "Fear? A strange choice if she had willingly put herself in danger to save another."

Aqua pauses, and her Master's eyes hone in like a hawk, but does not speak, waiting for Aqua to. "The circumstances around her required a more... pointed focus."

That apparently wasn't what he wanted to hear. There is a slight frown to his face, an air of caution about him now. "I see."

Namine swallows, and her hand tightens along Aqua's. Eraqus's eyes trail the motion, but he does not comment on it.

"Taking Namine as my apprentice was the best choice in the situation presented," began Aqua in a careful tone, "And while it solved a... World Order problem, that was only a secondary thing to her worth as a person and a potential Keybearer."

"A World Order problem," repeats Eraqus slowly.

"Master...," begins Ventus uncomfortably.

Eraqus waves him off. "Explain, Master Aqua."

"Namine was... trapped in a... terrible situation," says Aqua, and Namine's shoulders slump once again at the way people skirt around it, "Someone cast her from her world into another to save her from it where she had been taken in by a family. I firmly believe that given time to heal and shine, Namine will become a fine Keybearer."

Eraqus says nothing, his eyes are hard on Aqua's, and Namine feels the sweat in Aqua's hand. The stand off goes on for a very uncomfortable minute before its broken.

Aqua steels herself, and her voice goes harsh. "I do not wish to, but if I must become a Seeker to take her as my apprentice without your approval, I _will_."

That gets a single raised eyebrow from him. "You are very determined to train her."

"I _will_ train her."

The testing mask fades away into an amused smile. "Far be it from me to try and bar you from training an apprentice, Master Aqua. Though, I am going to ask about the finer details of how you met your apprentice later for record purposes."

Aqua lets out a breach, relaxing. "Of course Master."

Eraqus turned his gaze to Namine and smiled. "A grand-apprentice before I'm fifty. What a pleasant surprise, I'm glad to meet you Namine."

"I um... its nice to meet you too," she said quietly before yawning and then flushing at it.

He chuckles. "A long journey?"

"Its... been a very, very long day for her," said Aqua, "An early turn in to rest would do her good. She can sleep with me for the night until another room is set up."

Eraqus nods. "Agreeable."

He turned to go before pausing. "What of Terra?"

Aqua hesitated. "I... wasn't certain about leaving him out on his own, but..."

"Is there _reason_ for this concern?" posed Eraqus, and despite the criticalness of the question, there is worry.

"I'm not... entirely sure, I've heard about something he potentially did..."

"Oh come on Aqua!" exclaimed Ven, "If you're talking about what the witch said you're being ridiculous! There's no way Terra would take a Princess of Heart's heart, she was lying to mess with us!"

Eraqus tensed. "_What_?"

"I'm... inclined to agree with you Ven," said Aqua slowly, "A witch by the name of Maleficent..."

They had met Maleficent? Well... her causing problems wasn't anything new.

Eraqus immediately scoffs. "Her? She never learns, does she?"

"You... know her?" asked Aqua, suprised.

"Know is a strong word," said Eraqus with distaste, "I trust her word little and would dismiss them as an attempt to cause strife between allies. Was there anything of actual note to be concerned about?"

Aqua bit her lips for a moment before shaking her head. "Not that I saw. We left Terra a little while ago on our way to come here, I talked with him and... he seemed fine and in good spirits."

Eraqus nodded, satisfied. "Good, good. While leaving him to face this conflict alone is unwise, even if he were a full Master, Terra's strength is in endurance and raw power..."

Well, wasn't _THAT_ true even as Xemnas.

"...I am confident in his abilities. We will give him time to investigate the matter, and periodically set out to check on the situation," continued Eraqus, "Terra knows his limits, if he needs help, I trust he will come back and ask for it. Now come, put Namine to bed and then meet me in the dinning hall to tell me what has transpired in your travels."

"Yes Master," echo both Aqua and Ven.

With that, they departed up the steps to the castle, and Namine eyes them wearily. Aqua took mercy on her, kneeling down to give her a piggyback ride.

Namine's thoughts drifted to the conversation, her heart fluttering and squirming about what Aqua had said, that she would have left all of this behind to train her if Eraqus hadn't wanted her to be trained. She doesn't feel worth of it at all. "Whats a Seeker?"

"A Seeker of Darkness," begins Aqua, not noticing the way Namine briefly freezes at that, "Is a Keybearer unbound to the bastion. One who transverses beyond our home area and assigned worlds to seek out darkness upsetting the balance of the worlds. I've read that it can be a lonely life, years out on your own between trips home."

Namine is briefly dumbstruck. The Heartless Ansem, Seeker of Darkness had been his title. It... it had been a perversion of a role a Keybearer could take? But... but wait, how would Ansem have known that if he hadn't had Terra's memories? Or... had it been something he had only loosely remembered? She shakes it off as unimportant, Ansem Seeker of Darkness wont come to exist if Namine has anything to say about it.

"Assigned worlds?"

"Our line of Keybearers is assigned to protect the Princesses of Heart and the worlds surrounding the ones they live on," explained Aqua.

"Are... are there other lines of Keybearers?"

"Oh yes," said Aqua, "But... the worlds are a huge place, Namine, gigantic beyond belief. It would take years traveling the Lanes Between to even reach the closest Line of Keybearers aside our own. Worlds often come in large clusters, grouped together in a large area. But between these areas are incredible stretches of empty darkness, not a star, not a world within them. There are a few that are closer, but, Keybearers are not a group of large numbers, we haven't had the numbers to watch over all the worlds since the Age of Fairytales."

Aqua sighs and shakes her head. "And Keybearers back then were much different then they are now."

Namine is curious about that, but tries and fails to stifle a yawn. Aqua chuckles. "There will be time for lessons to come, lets get you tucked in."

She doesn't particularly remember the trip to the room, but before she knows it, she's tucked in under a comfortable set of blankets. "Good night, Namine.

"Night Aqua," murmurs Namine sleepily,

She closes her eyes, only stirring briefly sometime later when Aqua climbs into bed and draws her close. Namine nestles in against her and goes back to sleep...


End file.
